


Crossed Lines

by Take_Me_To_My_Fragile_Dreams



Series: A Thousand Lives [20]
Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, BAMF Eren, BAMF levi, Blow Jobs, Bottom Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Centaur Eren, Centaurs, Courting Rituals, Creature Fic, Eventual Smut, Family Feels, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, Grooming, Harpies, Harpy Levi, Humans Suck, Hurt/Comfort, Idiots in Love, Interspecies Relationship(s), Interspecies Romance, Interspecies Sex, Light Angst, M/M, Magic, Mates, Mating, Mating Rituals, Mystical Creatures, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Nesting, Praise Kink, Protective Eren Yeager, Protective Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Rimming, Slow Burn, Wing Grooming, Wing Kink, Wings, bc yall are thirsty as hell, i love it tho, just FYI, starring Eren's horse dick, that size difference, various side pairings - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-06
Updated: 2019-03-03
Packaged: 2019-04-19 08:39:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 15
Words: 27,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14233482
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Take_Me_To_My_Fragile_Dreams/pseuds/Take_Me_To_My_Fragile_Dreams
Summary: A sound of amusement left Kuchel’s mouth as Levi turned to look at him. Eren was startled to see that his eyes were a deep crimson, pupils broken into tiny slits. His arms were an array of black and red feathers, something Eren noticed when they were crossed stubbornly. “You’re bigger than me.”He gaped at him. “So?”“So you could step on me,” Levi said with a huff. “or worse.”





	1. Setting Stage

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear to god 99% of the time I get inspiration solely because I'm procrastinating on school work 
> 
> If anyone is curious Eren is 8ft 5 when full grown, while Levi is 5ft 4

There was a harpy nest in the mountains that surrounded the valley. Eren knew this, because it was his father who had first made peace with the hybrids. He hadn’t been born when Kuchel had first arrived, weak and seeking refuge. She’d been heavy with eggs that needed to be laid, a pack of humans hot on her trail. Unable to fight while gravid, Kuchel had come to the only safe place that she could think of.

Humans knew better than to come into the valley of the centaurs. Hunting was not prohibited, and any who wished to test this rule soon found themselves chased off—or killed. More than one creature had taken refuge among their ranks.

Kuchel had been the first harpy, but Grisha had welcomed her after her vow to do no harm. Only death could break it, and so she was permitted to build a nest inside their home. Hatching was faster than their own style of birth, which meant Kuchel’s children tumbled into the world moons before Eren emerged from his own mother’s womb.

His first few weeks were spent learning how the function of legs actually worked. More than once he found himself tumbling head over hoof, unable to canter along with the others the way he wanted.

Carla would always laugh before helping him to right himself. “Try again, dear,” she would say, ruffling the mop of chocolate hair on top of his head. “I know you can do it.”

It wasn’t long before he found that she was right. There were few things, Eren learned, that felt better than racing across the land. His mother would join in his games when urged, and when she tired, the other foals were more than happy to join him in play. Jean, who he became fast friends with, was the second fastest, his coat gleaming gold underneath the sun they raced beneath. They were the biggest out of the others, and no one else could keep up with them.

By the time that Eren encountered creatures other than his own, he was well past his twelfth moon cycle. The summer was approaching fast, which brought about both flies and heat. Most of the herd spent their time near the river when not performing duties. The oldest were still shedding the last of their winter coats, unlike Eren who had rubbed it off as soon as possible. He liked his short fur. It didn’t leave him sweating under the strain of the sun, nor did it leave him cold at night.

Eren waded after his mother, a hand clutching at one of her own. His withers reached the shoulder of her horse half now, while his head came just a few inches below her breasts. He wasn’t quite used to swimming yet, so they didn’t stay with the rest of the herd. Instead, they headed down the river. It was easier for Eren not to fight the current, and calmer waters broke off into pools further into the valley.

One of them in particular was Eren’s favorite. It sat at the base of a mountain, with a small waterfall born of run off. The pool was big enough for his mother to submerge herself in in the very center, and there were several bushes full of berries scattered around the clearing it sat inside. He let go of Carla’s hand when they arrived, the short length of his tail already swishing in excitement.

He splashed around in the shallows while Carla got comfortable in the deepest parts. A game of chase was conducted with the tiny fish he encountered, though he lost every single time. His father had promised to teach him to fish when he was a bit older and had the required muscle to swim against the strongest currents. It was something Eren was awaiting impatiently.

He flopped down on his side in the dirt, giving a hard roll. Satisfied that he had a guard against the flies, he settled down to snack on the raspberries within arm’s reach. They were some of his favorites, flavor sweet on his tongue. When his fingers were stained in red, Eren gave a slow stretch. He was debating whether he wanted to try to convince his mother to play, when a strange noise met his ears.

Eren flattened himself against the earth, eyes wide in shock. His head craned, sensitive ears seeking out the cause. He let out an embarrassingly loud squeal when several strange shapes landed just a few feet away from him. There was a splash from behind him as Carla straightened, but he was too busy gaping to care.

The creatures in front of him looked almost like birds… except they were human. The tallest of them was a woman, with sharp black eyes. A crown of black and grey feathers fanned out from either side of her jaw, to meet in the center of her forehead. Feathers of the same color covered her shoulders, as well as her breasts. The longest sat at her hips, and arms, though she had no hands—at least, not that he could see, anyways. Her legs were different from his, too. Instead of hooves, she had the hard skin of a bird’s foot from knee to sharp, taloned toes.

There were others too, except these were smaller. Three little bodies that were about the same height as Eren, with various different colorings.

“Ah,” the woman said, giving a smile that displayed sharp teeth. “I didn’t expect to see you here, Carla.”

There was another series of splashes as his mother emerged from the water to stand beside him. “Kuchel,” she responded, looking over the little ones. “I see you’re all well. I had hoped we would see one another soon.”

Black eyes turned to Eren, and he couldn’t help but hide himself in his mother’s side. “This is your boy; I take it? I’d wondered how the birth went.”

“Mama,” one of her daughter’s whined. She wrapped red feathers around her mother’s arm to tug at it. “I thought we were going to play in the water.”

Kuchel sighed. “We are, Isabel. Why don’t you head into the water with your brother and sister while I talk?”

Long feathered ears gave an excited twitch, and she scampered over to her siblings. “Come on, Mikasa! Let’s see who can splash the biggest!”

Another girl with the same coloring as Kuchel followed her into the water. Eren watched them over his mother’s back, tail swishing anxiously.

“Levi,” Kuchel said, coaxing a boy out from under her feathers. “Go play with your sisters.”

His somber face was broken by a frown. “But they look strange, Mama. Are you sure it’s safe?”

Eren bristled, giving a stomp of his hoof. “You’re the strange one! If anyone is dangerous, it’s you!”

A sound of amusement left Kuchel’s mouth as Levi turned to look at him. Eren was startled to see that his eyes were a deep crimson, pupils broken into tiny slits. His arms were an array of black and red feathers, something Eren noticed when they were crossed stubbornly. “You’re bigger than me.”

He gaped at him. “So?”

“So you could step on me,” Levi said with a huff. “or worse.”

_“I’m not going to—”_

“Eren,” Carla interrupted. “Why don’t you go play with Levi? You two can get to know each other.”

“But Mom,” Eren groaned, giving another stomp of his hooves.

She put a gentle hand on the top of his head, gaze fond. “No buts. Levi doesn’t have a village like we do. He could use some friends.” Carla leaned down, cupping her hand around his ear to whisper. “Besides, he _is_ small. Don’t you think he could use someone big and strong to protect him?”

Eren puffed up at the insinuation that he was both of those things. “Alright,” he said proudly. “I’ll do it.”

He walked over on careful legs to hold a hand out to Levi. “I promise I won’t step on you, even though you’re smaller. Will you come play with me?”

Levi considered him for a few long moments, before Kuchel nudged him with an arm. “Alright,” he said.

There was no hand to hold on to, so Eren simply let Levi rest what he assumed was a wing—why else would he not have hands?—on top of his own. Levi didn’t seem to want to go into deeper water to join his siblings, so Eren stopped further down the shore. He knelt in the shallows, settling onto his side with a soft sigh. Levi sat beside him, feathers growing wet.

“What’s a harpy?” Eren asked curiously.

Levi blinked at him. “We’re half bird, half human. What are you?”

“We’re called centaurs. This valley is ours.” He tilted his head. “Why are your eyes red? It’s strange.”

Levi’s arms lifted to feel at his face. They dropped back into the water with a soft slap, and an expression different from a frown crossed his face. Eren didn’t like it. He looked sad. “They just are, I guess.”

“It’s not a bad strange,” Eren decided. He touched a hand to the feathers on Levi’s shoulder, marveling at their softness. “They’re pretty.”

Wide eyes blinked up at him. Slowly, a smile touched pale lips, and he was startled to see a faint blush on Levi’s face. “Really?”

“Really,” Eren said firmly. He decided then that Levi’s smile was far better than his frown, and that he would do his best to make it happen again and again.

* * *

He visited Levi a lot after that. Eren could not climb the mountain that the harpies nest resided on, but Levi would come to him when he could. Isabel and Mikasa took a liking to him as well, though Carla’s words always kept Eren close to Levi’s side. Kuchel let them all roam after she deemed the three siblings able to navigate their way home on their own—not that Eren would have let them get lost.

Jean became fast friends with Mikasa, and the two often went exploring with one another. Isabel found Levi and Eren too boring and went off on her instead—which worried Kuchel up until she found out that her daughter had made a friend in a wood sprite.

With so much time spent together, Eren soon found out that Levi _could_ fly with the use of the wings on his arms.

“Did you think they were just for decoration?” Levi had asked, eyebrow raised.

“Maybe?”

His eyes had rolled, though Levi hadn’t looked all that offended. “Why don’t we race? I’ll show you just how wrong you were.”

It was when Eren had flopped over onto his side on the ground, chest heaving, that he had realized Levi was as fast as he was small. Eren had not had a challenge when it came to his speed until Levi, and it both frustrated and invigorated him.

Other discoveries came with the passing moons, such as the exchange of Levi’s timidness for ferocity. Harpies had no hands. Hunting was done with claws, teeth and blunt force. Eren learned this the hard way when Levi nearly gave him a heart attack by taking on a mountain lion.

Eren had been on his way to visit when he’d smelled blood and heard the scream of a cat. He’d rushed to the base of the mountain as fast as he could only to find Levi crouched on the forest floor, the talons of a foot wrapped tight around the neck of a dead beast.

“What?” He’d asked, wiping blood off of the corners of his lips. “You look like you’re about to fall over.”

“You—” Eren staggered around for a bit. When his heart had ceased to race, he turned back to Levi, who was already setting into the cooling carcass. Levi was bigger than when they’d first met, though not yet at full growth. Harpies had an accelerated growth rate, just like centaurs. Still, theirs were faster. Eren knew that Levi would be full grown before he was, and that worried him.

Isabel had already spoken of wanting to leave the valley to see what the rest of the world was like, much to Kuchel’s concern. Mikasa seemed uncertain, and Eren hadn’t dared to ask what Levi’s own plans were. He knew that birds were flighty creatures, and rarely stayed in one place for very long. Still, he didn’t want to lose his friend.

“Hey, Levi?” Eren asked. Levi was leaning against his flank while he preened, the dark shades of his feathers a stark contrast to Eren’s bay coat.

“Hm?” He asked, spitting out a broken quill. 

“Do you want to leave the valley when you’re older?”

“No.” Levi paused to look at him, eyebrows raised. “Why would I do that?”

Eren blinked in shock. “I just thought since Isabel wanted to leave, that you might too.”

“Isabel is foolish,” He snorted. He gave a pat to Eren’s withers before turning back to his wings. “I’m staying here. Ma has told me enough horror stories about the humans as it is. I don’t need to see it firsthand.”

 Eren let out a sigh of relief, before reaching out to take one of Levi’s wings. Levi made a sound of thanks as Eren combed careful fingers through his feathers, seeking out any that might be loose or broken.

Levi wouldn’t be leaving… but Eren would have to, eventually.

* * *

“You’ve been spending a lot of time with Kuchel’s boy,” his father said over dinner one night. There was a look on his face that Eren couldn’t quite place. All the same, it made him squirm.

“Levi is nice,” Eren said simply. His cheeks flushed at the smile Carla gave him. “Is that a bad thing?”

“Of course not. You know that this valley is a safe place. Coexistence is what makes us so strong.” Grisha touched a hand to his shoulder. “I’m proud of you for taking it so seriously. Just remember that your year is soon coming.”

Eren sagged. It was tradition for those that had come of age to leave the valley for a year. It was a practice meant to teach young centaurs the value of the safety of their home, as well as the danger of the outside world—particularly that of humans. “I know. I won’t forget.”

“I’m sure Levi will still be waiting when you return,” Carla comforted. “You two seem very close.”

“Yeah,” he sighed. “I hope so.”

* * *

“Why didn’t you tell me you’d be leaving?” Levi demanded on Eren’s fourth birthday. “I only found out because Jean told Mikasa.”

He froze, staring in shock at his friend’s crossed arms and angry eyes. Levi was smaller than him. The top of his head just barely reached Eren’s belly button, but this did not make him any less intimidating when upset. “I was going to tell you, I swear.”

Levi bared his teeth. “When? The day before?”

Eren gave a guilty grimace. “I just didn’t want anything to change because of it.”

“The only thing that’s going to change is my foot up your ass,” he said darkly. Eren gave a yelp, stumbling backwards as Levi took a menacing step towards him.

“I was worried you wouldn’t want to be friends anymore!” He squeaked as he tried to hide his bulk behind a tree. It was quite a hilarious sight, considering just how big Eren was. The most it did was hide his shoulders.

Levi smacked a wing against Eren’s front legs. “Stupid centaur,” he hissed, as Eren tripped and went crashing to the ground.

Eren threw his hands up in front of his face, eyes squeezed shut in preparation for a blow. When none came, he peered up at Levi, tail swishing anxiously. The anger was gone from Levi’s face. All that remained was a tired sadness.

“Were you even going to let me say goodbye?”

He sucked in a sharp breath. It was rare for Levi to display sadness. In fact, Eren didn’t think he’d ever really even seen his friend truly sad. The sight of it now made his chest hurt. “I was always going to say goodbye,” Eren swore. He shifted, untangling his legs to reach out for Levi. When his actions weren’t spurned, he pulled Levi to his chest. “I just wasn’t ready to do it yet. I don’t want to leave. I want to stay here with you.”

Levi made a soft chirping sound. His face pushed into Eren’s neck as feathered arms wrapped tight around his human middle. “When do you have to leave?”

Eren held Levi tighter, ignoring the rocks digging into the bones of his legs. “By the end of this moon cycle.”

A heavy exhale was let out against his skin. “That’s soon.”

“Yes,” Eren said quietly. “I know.”

“Mikasa said you’re not allowed to bring anyone that isn’t a centaur. That it’s against the rules.”

“She wasn’t lying.” Eren ran fingers through the mix of feathers and hair at the back of Levi’s head. “I’m going to travel with Jean. My father already gave his approval.”

“I would have gone with you,” Levi murmured. He pressed his face harder into Eren’s neck, as if he was trying to make a home there. “if it wasn’t against the rules, if you’d told me… I would have.”

It was probably one of the most heartbreaking things Eren had ever heard him say. “I would’ve been happy.” He squeezed Levi tighter. It had to have hurt, but he received no protests. “I’ll miss you.”

“I’ll miss you too, you stupid centaur.”

He laughed. “I’ll miss you saying that, too. Jean doesn’t do it right.”

Levi huffed against his cheek. “All the more reason for you to come back.”

“Of course I’ll come back,” Eren frowned. “Do you really think that I’d stay away?”

A halfhearted shrug was his answer.

“Levi.” He pulled back to take Levi’s face into his hands, eyes fierce. “I’m going to come back for you. That’s a promise.”

Levi shifted. Feathers pressed against tan cheeks, tickling his skin. It had been a long time since Eren had seen Levi afraid, but in that moment he looked terrified. “I hope so,” he whispered.

Eren wasn’t given a chance to give more reassurance.

Levi closed the few inches of space between them to press a soft kiss to his mouth. It was their first kiss, and Eren burned over the fact that it had happened in the wake of a goodbye. He silently vowed that it would not be their last.


	2. Nesting Proposals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahahaha still procrastinating on my assignments, go figure (kill me)
> 
> I was surprised by the amount of interest people seem to have in this story, and I have to thank everyone that has left me lovely comments. This was just a bit of stress relief but your encouragement has led this in the direction of an actual story, whereas it was originally just going to be a few chapters. I'm excited for what's to come so have an early update <3

The days following Eren’s absence were somber. Levi found himself roaming the forest, restless without the muted thud of Eren’s hooves against the forest floor, or the sound of his voice. Eren was like sunlight; stupidly large and too bright to look at at times. He lit up everything around him with his energy—Levi included. To have such a large presence around for years, only to have it taken away was… Odd. Unsettling.

Levi didn’t like it.

There was no one to race other than Isabel and Mikasa, and neither of them could keep up with him the way that Eren could. With Jean gone as well, there were no other centaurs that Levi knew well enough to approach. Eren had been a handful as it was, on his own. Levi hadn’t felt a need to seek anyone else out. It was something he half regretted, now that loneliness was clawing its way into his heart.

“Levi, don’t you want to come fishing with us?” Isabel huffed, jostling him none too gently with a shoulder.

His ears gave a disinterested flick. “I’m fine here. Go with Mikasa.”

She gave a complaining warble, wings hitting the side of their nest in tantrum. “You’re so boring now that Eren’s gone! You never want to play.”

Levi’s shoulders hunched, as if in preparation for a blow. His arms crossed over his knees, bracketing his body in comforting warmth.

“Isabel,” Kuchel said, talons tapping against the sticks of the nest she’d woven together when they were still just three eggs in her belly. “Go on with Mikasa. I’d like to speak to Levi alone.”

He stiffened slightly. Isabel gave a huff, but flapped her wings all the same. “Yes, Mama.”

The quiet descended with her absence. There was nothing but the soft whistle of the wind, and the distant cry of birds. He could feel Kuchel’s eyes on him. It prickled the feathers at the back of his neck.

“What?” He finally muttered, when the silence grew too unbearable.

Kuchel stood, only to take a seat across from him. “You’re sad,” she observed.

Levi bared his teeth in a hiss. “I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine, Levi.” She sighed, brushing the feathers at her temples back. “This is about Eren, isn’t it? He left a few days ago.”

His sulking silence was answer enough.

“He’s going to come back. You know that.”

“That’s what he kept saying,” Levi muttered.

“Then why do you continue to doubt him?”

“Are you _kidding_?” His head shot up to glare at her. Wings hit the floor of their nest with a harsh thump. “We grew up on stories about how terrible the humans can be! You told us over and over again just how often our kind gets killed, or worse!” The anger left him as suddenly as it came, and Levi was left to curl back in on himself. “How can you expect me to just be okay with him walking headfirst into that when I can’t even be there to protect him?”

“Oh, darling…” She let out a soft sound of comfort as she shifted closer. Her wings touched his own, feathers curling around his in as much of a hold as they could manage without hands. “Eren isn’t like our kind. What are we made for?”

“…flight,” Levi said reluctantly.

“Exactly.” She gave a small smile. “Eren is a centaur. They’re the exact opposite of what we are, Levi. He’s _made_ for battle. When cornered we can defend ourselves, but that’s not our strong suit. Do you understand, love?”

He shook his head hesitantly.

Kuchel chuckled warmly. “The year of travel isn’t to put him in danger, Levi. It’s to show him how to be the warrior he was meant to be. When he comes back he’ll have plenty of stories to tell you, I’m sure. In fact, he might even have some gifts.”

“I don’t care about gifts,” Levi said, mouth set in a stubborn line. “So long as he comes back, I’ll be happy.”

She drew him closer, bedding his head against her breasts. She stroked his hair with a wing, cooing softly when he hugged her close in turn. “Have faith, dearest. Eren will return to you. He’s stubborn, after all.”

He snorted. “He is pretty stubborn, huh?”

“Just like you,” Kuchel agreed. She drew back some to nudge at his chin. “The year will fly by sooner than you realize. Just try to make some new friends, and be nice to your sisters. Wouldn’t it be nice if you had some stories of your own to tell?”

“Are you telling me to leave?” Levi said skeptically.

She hit him over the head with a wing. “No,” Kuchel huffed, over his startled squawk. “I’m telling you not to hole yourself up in this nest and to go explore the valley. In fact, it’s about time the three of you started looking for your own nests.”

Levi frowned, arms lifting to smooth his crown of feathers. “You’re kicking us out?”

“Of course not, love, but it has to happen eventually. Don’t you want to have your own nest by the time that Eren arrives?”

He considered that. Something foreign slipped into the pit of his stomach at the thought, and made itself a home. It was a strange, heated feeling, but Levi found that he didn’t mind it all that much. It just made him miss Eren more. “Alright,” he agreed, eyes hardening with determination. “I’ll start looking.”

“That’s the spirit,” she praised. “I’ll be here if you need help.”

Levi gave her an affectionate nuzzle. “Thanks, Ma.”

“Anytime, dearest.” She rubbed his back, smile soft. “Anytime.”

* * *

His siblings were informed on the task of making their own nests upon their return, and Kuchel had to restrain Isabel from shooting off like a rocket right away. She settled down with a series of complaining warbles, but a few affectionate nuzzles proved enough to ease her frustration.

Levi picked up one of the fish they’d brought back with his foot. He tore it in half with a talon, before tossing one of the halves into the air. He snapped it up and swallowed, before doing the same with the next piece.

“You should come with us next time,” Mikasa said quietly, feathers brushing his side. “It’s easier to catch the bigger ones when you’re there.”

He paused to glance over at her. Hopeful eyes met his own, and Levi knew he was defeated. “Next time,” he decided, before swallowing another fish.

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

She smiled down at her lap, eyes soft. “Do you have any ideas for your nest?”

Levi gave a shake of his head, before he turned to nip at an itchy patch of feathers on his shoulder. “Thanks,” he sighed, when Mikasa took over. “do you?”

“No,” she admitted. “I hadn’t really thought about it before. I don’t think I’m ready for a mate.”

“You don’t have to have a mate to make a nest,” Kuchel chided. She plucked a broken feather off of one of Isabel’s wings, before letting it drift to the floor.

Levi and Mikasa shared a look of guilt. They knew their father had been killed by humans. Kuchel had never really revealed much about the affair, but her eyes always clouded over with sorrow whenever the topic of mates came about.

“What if your mate isn’t part bird?” Isabel asked with a frown. “How do you share a nest then?”

“You make it on the ground,” Levi pointed out, as if it were obvious.

“Yeah, but what if they’re a dragon, or something huge? There’s no way you can make a proper nest for that!”

He frowned down at his feet at the thought. Would Eren find nesting stupid, considering his size?

“When you’re in a safe place you can make your nest wherever you want,” Kuchel comforted. “as for larger mates, it’s simply a matter of compromise. Nests come in many forms.”

“I guess,” Isabel said dubiously.

“Is this about the dragon you met in the mountains?” Mikasa asked quietly.

“No!” She said hotly, fixing Mikasa with a hard glare. “You weren’t supposed to tell, either!”

Mikasa shrugged.

“A dragon?” Kuchel repeated. She touched a wing to Isabel’s shoulder, eyes shining with concern. “What mountains were you in?”

“I…” Isabel looked away, ears twitching. “it was just a little bit out of the valley, I swear. I was careful, too! It’s just that I saw someone flying overhead, and I followed them to try and talk.”

“Isabel, that’s extremely dangerous,” she sighed. “no one knew where you were. What if this dragon had hurt you, or worse?”

“Farlan would never hurt me!”

“You didn’t know that when you followed him, birdbrain.” Levi said, eyes rolling.

Isabel bared her teeth. The feathers around her face flared, wings fluffing. “I was careful about it!”

He leaned forward, returning the challenging display. “You left the valley. I’d say that’s not very careful.”

“Not everyone can be satisfied with being a centaur’s pet bird, Levi!”

There was a sharp inhale of breath from Levi’s side, and what could have been the beginnings of a reprimand from Kuchel. Levi barely heard either one. His entire body stiffened, eyes honing in on Isabel’s stance.

There was a shift in her face. What might have been an apology formed on her lips, but it was too late.

Levi slammed into her body with a challenging scream, upsetting her balance and sending them tumbling down the mountainside. She gave a loud screech in reply, wings batting at his body in an effort to get him off. They were a tangle of snapping teeth and buffeting wings. Levi caught her talons in his own, preventing any attempted kicks.

They were ripped apart when they slammed into a hard jut of stone, and Isabel gave a startled scream as they fell over the edge of the mountain. Levi made to dive after her before a harsh weight crashed into his side. He went head over tail through the air, and slammed into the canopy of a tree. His talons caught a branch before he could hit the ground. Levi’s wings did the rest, and he touched down to the forest floor, wild eyed but otherwise fine.

Isabel was far worse for wear. There were bite marks on her shoulders, and a good chunk of the feathers on her right had been torn off. Levi swiped at his face and sent several bits of their remains falling to floor. Her cheek was bleeding, and there were blooming bruises along her ribs from where she’d taken the brunt of the impact. Leaves were caught in her hair, as well as several broken sticks.

Levi felt a surge of vicious satisfaction. “Say it again,” he rumbled, even as Kuchel and Mikasa stepped between them. “I dare you.”

She let out a hiss of defiance. “You—”

“That’s enough!” Kuchel said sharply. “That was way out of line, Isabel.”

Isabel sputtered, feathers fluffing all over again. “He _attacked_ me!”  

“Yes, and he’ll be getting quite a talking to as well. However, insulting your brother and his choice in mate candidates is the work of a hatchling, not someone who I trust to roam outside of the valley on their own.”

Her face paled. “You can’t—you don’t mean—”

“You’re not to visit your dragon friend again until I deem you trustworthy.” Kuchel’s feathers flared as her talons dug deep into the earth. “Now get back up into the nest, and don’t move until I’ve told you to.”

Isabel let out a screech of anger. She stalked past them all with barely restrained fury, feathers quivering. “Thanks a lot,” she snarled at Levi, before she began her wobbly ascent.

“Mikasa,” Kuchel sighed. “Follow her and make sure she doesn’t fall.”

Mikasa made a sound of agreement, before the sound of her wings filled Levi’s ears. Soon enough, they faded, leaving Levi and Kuchel alone in the silence.

“I know it wasn’t right,” Levi said, jaws pressed tightly together. “but what she said… I just couldn’t control myself.”

Kuchel moved to stand in front of him, eyes appraising. “It was instinct. You’ve never felt challenged before in this way. I understand why you did it, but it can’t happen again. You can’t just attack your sisters.”

He stared down at the ground, ears flicking. “I know.”

A wing slid underneath his chin. It lifted his head, bringing his gaze back to his mother’s. “Still…” Kuchel’s head tilted to the side. The corner of her mouth twitched. “between you and me, I’m impressed. There’s not a single scratch on you. I’m proud.”

Levi blinked in surprise. It took a moment for those words to sink in, and when they did, he couldn’t help but smile. “Really?”

“Really,” she agreed, before hitting him over the back of the head. “but I’d be a lot prouder if it hadn’t been your sister that you’d attacked. Don’t do it again.”

“Okay, okay!” Levi darted away from her flapping wings, eyes wide in alarm. “I’ll try not to let her get to me.”

“And apologize.”

“ _She_ didn’t apologize!”

Kuchel’s eyes rolled. “You’ll both apologize. Understood?”

Levi sighed, shoulders slumping. “Yeah,” he muttered. “understood.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sibling squabbles are fun to write js
> 
> Tell me what you thought? (and if there's anything in particular you'd like to see in the future)


	3. Motivation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally finished my assignments but now I'm sick so you win some you lose some I suppose 
> 
> Updates probably won't come this fast in the future but I'm currently stuck on bed rest so I figured I'd just put this up before I'm buried in work again. Thanks again for all of your lovely comments <3 They give me the life I need to write this story

To say that Eren was miserable was an understatement. It’d been barely a moon cycle since he’d left the valley, and with every day passing moment the weight of Levi’s absence only seemed to grow. The first few days he’d been able to muster up some sort of excitement. He’d been told about the outside world since he was a foal, after all, a part of him _did_ want to sate his curiosity. He’d just… never really accepted the fact that he wouldn’t have Levi by his side to do it.

Of course, Jean wasn’t all that bad. They had been born around the same time, so it’d always been obvious that they would travel their year together. They’d been planning where they wanted to go since their second cycle, fed by the stories they pulled free from the adults of the herd. Eren wasn’t disappointed to travel with Jean, he just wished they could have added a third member to their party.

If Levi were a centaur, they’d be trotting side by side. There’d be no need for loneliness, or leaving. They could be together. Eren briefly entertained the idea of just what his friend would look like as one of them. Still small, of course, with elegant legs and a slim body. Perhaps a few splashes of red on his coat, like with his wings?

Eren sighed, and dismissed the thought. He didn’t want to change Levi. He wouldn’t be who he was if he wasn’t a harpy. He’d be different, and Eren loved him for who he was.

He froze.

Jean let out a curse from behind him, torso slamming into Eren’s hindquarters. “Eren!” He complained. “A little warning would be nice! It’s not like we’re on the side of a cliff or anything!”

Eren grimaced. “Sorry,” he muttered, tail swishing. “I just… realized something.”

“You gonna share what it was, since I just slammed into your ass over it?”

He gave a snort. “Didn’t you ban me from talking about Levi a few days ago?” Eren looked over his shoulder to meet Jean’s eyes. “Are you sure you want to know?”

Jean sighed deeply. “The ban was a futile attempt to save my sanity. Might as well break it now, since it’s _obvious_ I’m going to be insane by the time we return.”

“You’re so dramatic,” he muttered. Eren started forward again, picking his way carefully through loose stone.

“And you’re a giant ass,” Jean retorted. “literally. I would know, since I just slammed into it.”

His eyes rolled. Bickering with Jean wasn’t uncommon, nor was it all that strange. They were both stallions, which meant their behavior was normal. They were pretty evenly matched too, as well as friends, which made dominance displays a moot point. Growing up in the herd had taught them how to curb their instincts, despite maturity. If they came across another stallion in their travels, there might be bloodshed, but together they were fine.

Of course, half the reason they were outside of the valley was to force them to face repressed instincts. They were of age, and it’d soon be time for them to start searching for mates. Eren hadn’t told Levi that the year of travel was made, in part, for young centaurs to seek out candidates.

“I’m still waiting,” Jean reminded.

Eren hit him with his tail. “Alright, alright. I was just… Thinking about how different things would be if Levi were a centaur.”

“Well he wouldn’t have red eyes, that’s for sure.”

“His eyes are fine,” Eren snapped hotly, all too tempted to hit him again. He thought against it when he considered their surroundings. It wouldn’t do to get into a physical dispute when they were in such a precarious place. “They’re beautiful.”

Jean held up his hands, despite the fact that Eren couldn’t see it. “Fine, they’re beautiful. Is that really what made you stop?”

“No.” He sighed, eyes following a stone as it rolled down the path. It dropped off the edge, to hit the ground at the base of the mountain. “It was realizing that I don’t want to change him that made me stop.”

Jean followed Eren off of the pathway and onto flat ground. They both flopped down into the grass to examine their hooves, enjoying the shade of the forest canopy they’d returned to. “I still don’t see what’s so extraordinary about that.”

Eren pried a rock from his left front. The relief of pressure made him let out a soft sigh. “I realized I love him, alright?” His cheeks flushed hotly, and he bent to check his back legs in an effort to hide it. “That’s what made me stop.”

Jean stared at him for a few long moments. “Seriously? I’ve known that since we were foals. I’m pretty sure everyone in the herd knows.”

 “Please tell me you’re joking.”

He rolled onto his back, enjoying the warmth of the sun on his belly. “I can’t, sorry. It’s been obvious that the two of you are going to get together. I’m just surprised you didn’t at least initiate your courting before you left.”

Eren frowned down at his hands. “You think he’ll find someone else?”

“Don’t be stupid,” Jean snorted. “I just thought that you’d do it for Levi’s sake. Everyone knows what this stupid ritual is really for.”

“I… didn’t tell him.”

He sat up. The look he gave Eren was nothing short of incredulous. “Are you serious right now?”

“I didn’t want to worry him!” Eren defended. “I didn’t think it was a big deal!”

“You know he’s going to find out, right?” Jean shook his head. “I can’t believe you. Mikasa knows, because I talked to her about it. If she doesn’t tell him, someone else will.”

He fretted silently, tail swishing. “You don’t think that he’ll assume I don’t want him, do you?”

“I don’t know Levi as well as you do, but I’m sure that plenty of people will reassure him if he has doubts.”

“Maybe we should go back.”

“Wha—hey, wait!” Jean jolted upright, catching Eren by one of his back legs before he could take off. He rolled out of the way when Eren went crashing to the ground, before blocking the path to the trail they’d came from. “You can’t just go back! You’ll get sent away again!”

Eren groaned as he stretched out his legs. “That hurt, you ass.”

He crossed his arms with a huff. “That’s what you get for being stupid. Going back only to leave again won’t help Levi, it’ll just hurt him.”

“But I just…” Eren stared down at the ground with a frown, eyes downcast. “I don’t want him to get the wrong idea.”

Jean held his hands out. When they were simply stared at, he rolled his eyes, before leaning down to take Eren’s in his own. He heaved Eren up, off the ground, before meeting his gaze. “You promised you’d come back for him, right? Just have a little faith in the red eyed cre—” Eren bared his teeth, and Jean hurried to correct his mistake. “critter! I meant critter! He has totally pretty eyes, you were right.”

This time, it was Eren’s eyes that rolled. He gave a stomp of his hooves, though he let the slipup go. “I guess you’re right.”

“Of course I’m right,” Jean huffed. “Besides, you might as well make some courting gifts while we’re out here. Not like there’s much else to do other than wait for something stupid to attack us.”

He followed after Jean as he headed deeper into the forest, and further away from their home. “You’re so optimistic, I can’t believe you don’t have a mate yet.”

Jean shot him a glare over his shoulder. “Sometimes I regret being your friend.”

Eren gave a loose shrug. “Then you’d be a wet blanket on top of friendless.”

“I swear to Chiron this year cannot go by fast enough,” he muttered. Still, he didn’t protest when Eren fell into step by his side.

Jean had made good points, Eren thought. He hadn’t officially asked to court Levi, but he could start to make up for that while he was gone. He knew enough about harpies to fashion a few gifts during their travels, considering the fact that he’d grown up among four. He was sure Levi would appreciate it, even if he’d never admit it.

Renewed with determination, he looked ahead with a spring in his step. He hated their separation, but he would make the most of it. He’d give Levi the best damn courting gifts any harpy had ever seen.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eren is a giant fucking dork pass it on
> 
> Who thinks Levi is going to find out and doubt Eren, and who thinks Levi is going to remain ignorant until Eren comes back? I'm genuinely curious pft (I also haven't actually written either one so if you have a vote/preference now is the time to weigh in)


	4. New Beginnings

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is probably one of my favorite chapters so far, if only because I love harpy!Levi far too much. 
> 
> Also, wow the predominant vote last chapter was for Levi to angst a bit over Eren so you have that to look forward to in future chapters ;)

Levi’s eyes scanned the wall of the mountain he’d been searching, before moving back down to the forest floor, over and over again. A frown was on his face as he walked, ears twitching erratically. He’d been searching for a suitable place to start a nest for days now, but he was beginning to think that he’d have to settle. There were a few nooks that had potential, but they were too precarious for a centaur to travel. Putting Eren in danger was not the plan, and what was the point of a nest if you couldn’t even share it with the one you loved?

He did love Eren. They’d never said it, but Levi’s feelings had started very early on. At first, it had been a hesitant infatuation. He’d been unable to help it, really. Only Kuchel had ever complimented his eyes, and in their very first meeting Eren had told him that the very trait that seemed to make others uncomfortable, was _pretty_. With their introduction, Levi had been allowed to leave the nest. Eren showed him the valley Kuchel had worried wouldn’t welcome them, and made him feel at home.

In the early days, Levi had been tiny. Timid and unsure of himself and his abilities. With his mother’s teaching, and Eren’s encouragement, he had grown into what he was meant to be: a predator. One who could easily take down something four times his own size. Levi knew this, specifically, because Eren had always liked to engage in play.

In time, the infatuation had died out to be replaced instead, with friendship. Eren was always ready for a new adventure, just as he was always ready to sit quietly beside Levi. It was a trait that Levi appreciated.

He was not as energetic as Eren, nor as social, and sometimes he couldn’t handle the burden of interaction. Eren had never complained about this, as Isabel sometimes did. Instead, he’d take Levi to the meadows, or the river, and they’d lay together. Levi loved basking, and Eren’s horse half was always so warm.

It was a good compromise. The practice was good for Eren’s coat, and good for Levi’s sanity. Good self-care, combined with the rays of the sun, kept Eren’s fur a beautiful array of glossy browns.

The centaurs always drew his eyes, for their shine. Harpies were weak to pretty things, and Eren was the prettiest, in his opinion. He was also huge, which made him the perfect target for Levi to splay himself out on. They’d fallen asleep often like that, drowsy and warm.

It took Levi exactly two years to fall in love with Eren. Then again, anyone who didn’t fall in love with Eren, at least platonically, was suspicious to Levi. He was bright, and attentive, and full of spirit. He listened, and he always made sure that Levi wasn’t lonely. He challenged him. Be it with races, or games, or adventures.

By the skies, Levi missed him.

 He came to a stop with a sigh. He had one mountain left, of the four that circled the valley. It was the furthest from his mother’s nest, and Levi didn’t dare hope that it would leave him with any better results.

He darted up the mountain side, using his talons to hold on to hard stone. When he had made it just above the tree line, Levi spread his wings and took flight. His belly rumbled as the air ran gentle fingers through his feathers, reminding Levi that he’d been at it since early in the morning. It was past midday now, and he hadn’t eaten anything other than the berries he’d collected during his travels.

Levi banked left. His eyes scanned the ground beneath him, searching for something to sate his hunger. A rabbit or two would do nicely, or a deer perhaps, if he could find one. The meadows were his safest bet when it came to that, so he headed towards the place that he’d dubbed as ‘Eren’s spot’ in his head.

He was lucky that the valley was so large. It left plenty of hunting ground for them all.

Levi’s eyes narrowed when he caught a flash of brown amongst all the green. There was a herd gathered around one of the many streams that ran off from the river. It was a decent size, considering that it consisted of bachelors. They all appeared fairly young, which made his job all the easier.

He did a few lazy circles around the group, careful to keep his shadow out of sight. When the one furthest from the safety of the forest ducked his head to drink, Levi made his move.

Wings tucked in close to his sides, Levi dove towards the grassy floor. There were a few bleats of panic when he was sensed, but by then it was too late. He leaned back abruptly, wings flaring with a sharp _snap!_ mere feet from the ground.

The buck took the brunt of the impact.

Outstretched talons sank deep into a vulnerable neck. The bone of its spine snapped when they hit the ground, silencing his prey’s distressed cries. Satisfied with the kill, Levi preened a few feathers back into place.

He hooked a foot around one of the buck’s back legs, before dragging it away from the stream. It wouldn’t do to pollute the water with its carcass, after all. A rake of his talons down its belly opened up his lunch, and Levi flopped down onto the grass to dig in.

Eating was the one thing he was messy with, Eren had always joked—when he was done panicking over Levi’s dangerous displays, anyways. He never seemed to grow used to Levi’s hunting style, no matter how many times that he saw it.

Of course, it wasn’t as if Levi could help the mess. One had to make do when they didn’t have hands, or a friendly neighborhood centaur around to cut up the meat. Though, if he was being honest, Levi didn’t mind the mess. It was instinct. It felt _good_ to take down his prey, to bite into a still-warm carcass. Nothing was better when it came to meals, than the taste of warm blood on his tongue, against his cheeks, running down his neck. It sated something deep inside of him. Kept the predator that roared for death, at bay.

Harpies were not known for their kind nature.

He was snarling when he lifted his head, blood smeared across pale skin and pupils blown. He panted for a few long moments, until he registered his surroundings. Levi sat back on his heels, and took in the damage. The deer was practically obliterated, meat torn free from bone. His face was wet, and a glance at his chest showed paths of blood reaching down towards his hips.

Levi sighed.

He left what remained of his kill behind for scavengers. It was convenient that he was beside a stream, he would need to wash before he could continue his search. The water wasn’t deep enough to submerge himself, but it was enough for some decent splashes. He scrubbed at his face and chest with his wings, before he cleaned his feathers in turn. A few flaps had most of the excess water gone, leaving him damp and in need of some sunlight.

Anywhere would do really, but Levi found himself wading through tall grass, to the clearing that he’d always laid with Eren in. It wasn’t the same without him, but Levi flopped down into soft grass all the same. He rolled onto his belly, wings spread out against the ground as he fluffed out his feathers. The sun was warm against his back—comforting even. It was not Eren’s flank, but Levi found himself drifting off, belly full and feathers heated.

By the time that he awoke, Levi felt dry. He rolled onto his back with a soft stretch, spine arching. A squint at the sky showed that it would be a few hours before the moon took over, which left him enough time to make a decent dent in his new search. He would use some of the grass from their spot to help pad his nest, Levi decided. Despite the fact that no one would know the difference, it was a comforting thought.

If only he could find a place where he could make a proper home.

Levi took flight once more. It was a faster way to travel than on foot, and he was feeling restless. Ever since his mother had asked him if he wanted a nest for Eren to return to, Levi had felt the time slipping away. He had many moons left before Eren would return, but still, Levi could not help but feel as if time was of the essence. Perhaps that was part of the mating instinct. Shelter was everything, after all. Especially for birds.

He touched down at the base of his last hope. His wings were beginning to ache with all the flying he’d been doing, but Levi ignored them. He would have time to rest when he found what he was looking for.

The trek started from one side of the mountain, to the other. The first half was nothing but steep drop-offs and precarious pathways. Levi dismissed them immediately, and didn’t bother sticking around to examine things further. The second half was lower to the ground, and he grew hopeful when the forest began to join with stone.

The soft sound of birds rose up, as late meals were caught and eaten. His ears twitched when a fox darted across his path, but Levi was not to be deterred. He continued on, stubbornly, picking through thick bushes and reaching branches. It was when the shadows were beginning to grow, and the sun was just about to set, that he finally found it.

The perfect home.

There was a pool of water, born from the run off of the mountain. A waterfall made the rock face slick. It was not big enough to cause an uproar of noise, thankfully. The sound was soft on his ears, a low babbling that was almost soothing.

A few, stubborn trees had grown into the slope of the mountain beside it. Levi followed their reaching roots, and stilled when he came across a cave. It was large, but he wouldn’t be able to tell if a centaur could fit comfortably inside without a closer look.

Levi frowned, wary of what dangers could be lurking inside.

“It’s empty,” a soft voice said.

He whirled around with a hiss, feathers fluffing from the startle. There was a yelp, and then the sound of rocks falling down the slope, as the owner of the voice scrambled to hide. Levi’s eyes narrowed. “Who are you?”

“I’m just a tree sprite!” Came the hasty reply. “Please don’t attack me, I was just trying to help!”

He frowned. Levi brushed his feathers back down, annoyed with the interruption. “What’s your name, ‘just a tree sprite?’”

A pale face peeked out from behind a skinny tree trunk. He looked young, with wide blue eyes and hair that was as blonde as it was long. “I’m Armin. I saw you walking through the forest and I thought that maybe you were looking for a place to rest.” 

“Why would you want to help me?” Levi asked suspiciously.

“It’s lonely around here,” Armin admitted. “I live close to the edge of the valley, and not many people visit. The bears that lived in that cave moved a few moons ago.”

He gave a blink of surprise. Of all the answers he’d come up with, that had not been one of them. “You want me to stay?”

Armin leaned a bit further away from the tree, to flash him a hesitant smile. There were flowers and bits of leaves woven into his hair. “If you want to.”

Levi turned to look back at the cave. “How many bears lived inside?”

“A pair and their three cubs.”   

He hummed. That was promising. “We’ll see,” Levi decided. He climbed the trail to look inside, wary of a possible trap. When no danger was detected, Levi stepped inside to examine his surroundings. The entrance to the cave was smaller than the inside. The ceiling arched away from the opening, far taller than his own height. It took Levi ten long strides to reach the back of it, and another fifteen to cross from one side to the other. It was big enough to fit a centaur, he deduced.

The realization was like a shock to his blood.

His restlessness eased somewhat, but with his discovery came a new itch. His nest would need to be big. Enough for Eren to sprawl out comfortably whilst still leaving room for Levi. Weaving it would take a long time, but Levi found himself up to the task. He would make a nest that Eren wouldn’t be able to resist accepting. One that was comfortable, too.

“So?” Armin asked, eyes hopeful. He’d stepped away from the tree, and he stood before Levi clad in nothing but a few twisting vines and a measly cloth around his hips.

Levi met his gaze, and gave a wide smile. It was the first he’d given, since Eren had left, and Armin looked startled by the sight. “It’s perfect.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> raise your hand if you thought Armin was going to be Levi's BFF, pft 
> 
> Also, I've had a few questions about this fic over on tumblr and I just wanted to say again, that it is 100% okay to ask me anything about this AU. I promise I won't bite and you definitely don't have to be afraid of me or think that your questions don't matter!


	5. The Danger of the Forest

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to knightlysoulsnatcher, who reached out to me on tumblr and managed to make me laugh despite the spectacularly shitty week I've been having. It gave me the energy to get back into this story, so thank you <3
> 
> As for the actual chapter...  
> Spiders, man. That's all I can say.  
> Just  
> Spiders.

Eren tried not to think about the time, but continued to fail spectacularly. How else could he make sure that he returned back to Levi as soon as possible? Three out of twelve cycles were behind them, and he still hadn’t found any gifts that were good enough for Levi. It was beginning to make him restless.

They’d been sticking to the forest, wary of the human roads they occasionally glimpsed through the foliage. They still had yet to meet any other creatures, but that wasn’t surprising. Eren assumed that they were simply being avoided.

“Did you hear that?” Jean asked, from Eren’s side. His head turned, scanning the trees around them.

Eren paused, eyes sliding over to his companion’s face. “What is it?”

“I don’t know,” he admitted grudgingly. “it’s gone now, but I could of sworn that I heard something following us.”

“Keep a lookout,” Eren murmured, tail swishing. “I trust your instincts.”

Jean gave a silent nod. They resumed their slow pace, picking their way through dead leaves and broken branches. Eren was starting to consider suggesting that they begin to hunt, when he heard the faintest whisper. There was the sound of crunching leaves in the distance, there one moment and gone the next. It was almost like footsteps… but it disappeared almost as soon as he’d located it.

“Eren,” Jean said tensely.

“I know. Just keep going.”

Their eyes scanned the trees, but in foreign surroundings every shadow seemed to be a threat. The creaking of branches made them tense, and their own footsteps seemed too loud suddenly.

There was the faint sound of something tracking them in the distance. It seemed to grow louder with every passing moment—multiplying, even. Underneath the rustle of leaves was a low clicking sound, almost like a bird’s beak closing over and over again.

“Run?” Jean asked, just barely loud enough to be heard.

“It’s fast,” Eren said, just as quietly. “turning our backs could be a mistake.”

“A fight then.” He sighed, mouth pressed into a tight line. “Great.”

“It was bound to happen eventually.” Eren quickened his pace. Their pursuer was close, and it would be in their favor to find a better location for the altercation that would come. Of course, these things were never so easy.

The branches to their left began to shake. Jean’s head swung towards the sound with a sound of alarm. Eren glimpsed a black shadow, before he was turning to watch their other side. There was more than one creature after them, now. The trees shook around them, branches breaking under the strain of whatever was climbing across. That horrible clicking was back, but louder. It filled Eren’s ears, alongside a foreign rattle. It reminded Eren of one of the snakes Levi had caught when they were young.

Eren had mere moments to contemplate that fact before the first dark shape hit the ground. It was a spider, he realized with a jolt. Larger than any he had ever seen before, with thick hairy legs and large beady eyes. It was brown. Meant to blend in with the forest, he assumed. There were large pinchers on its face, which seemed to be the cause of all the clicking.

“Don’t get separated,” Jean gritted out. He pulled the blade tied to his waist free from its sheath. Eren followed suit, glad that his father had made sure that they had weapons.

“Don’t die,” Eren added.

That was where their attacker’s patience ended.

The spider in front of Eren launched itself into the air with a screech as more of its brethren poured down from the trees. Of course it had to be a jumping spider, Eren thought incredulously, even as he raised his arm to meet searching fangs.

The spider hit the floor in two, twitching halves. Blood dripped from Eren’s blade, but he had little time to celebrate. He let out a shout as three more launched themselves from the trees, all as big as his human torso. He reared to cut the first out of the air, while the second was kicked back into the bushes. He landed on the third with a loud _crunch!_ A quick twist of his blade had flailing legs silent, and he shook his hoof to rid himself of the corpse.  

They kept coming from there, wave after wave of screeching bundles of legs. Eren’s flanks were heaving by the time that the attacks began to wane, skin and fur coated in gore, with more than one spider’s body crushed beneath his hooves. They would need to be cleaned, he thought ruefully. It wouldn’t be a fun task at all.

“We need to run!” Jean panted. “I can hear more coming, who knows how many will come.”

Eren gritted his teeth. “Go, I’ll follow.”

Jean took off at the order, blade swinging to clear a path. Eren followed close behind, watching for any possible rear attacks. The sound of pursuit followed them for miles, before it finally fell away. They didn’t allow themselves to slow until they came across a river, which they plunged head first into at soon as it was deemed safe. Jean groaned as the water washed away some of the gore marring their bodies, chest still heaving.

“That was hell, why did we come out here again?”

“Because it’s tradition and we were forced to?” Eren suggested, as he scrubbed at his face.

Jean let out another groan and ducked beneath the water. They cleaned what they could reach in silence, before switching to get at one another’s backs and tails. When he was deemed finished, Eren climbed the opposite river bed, gave his body a shake, and then flopped down into soft grass. “I’m exhausted,” he muttered.

“You’re telling me,” Jean snorted. “My entire body hurts.”

There was a pained sound when he laid down, and Eren’s eyes shot open in alarm. A hand was wrapped around one of Jean’s front legs. A closer look showed two bite marks, which were red and hot to the touch. His leg was swelling with it.

“Fuck,” Jean hissed, feeling around the skin. “if I ever see another spider it’ll be too soon.”

“Jean…” Eren frowned. “You could be poisoned. We need to find a healer.”

“How are we going to do that, genius? The valley is too far away and we don’t know anyone around here. For all we know, we could be days away from civilization.”

“We have to try,” he said stubbornly. “If we stay here, you could die.”

Jean groaned. “Fine, alright?” He stood with a stream of curses, leg held off the ground. “I’m going to need help, though.”

Eren moved to his side wordlessly. He tossed Jean’s arm over his shoulders, and wrapped his own around Jean’s waist. “We need to find a road,” he said. “Following the river should eventually lead to somewhere.”

“You hope.”

Eren ignored the words, and started the slow walk down stream. “Just focus on walking. We’ll find help soon.”

* * *

The sun was setting when they finally came across other signs of life. There was smoke rising above the tree line, too small to be anything other than contained. Eren had to admit that there was the chance that they would be walking into more danger if they went to the source, but they didn’t have many other options.

Jean had gone silent hours ago, face pale and lips almost blue. He was staggering more than walking, and a glance down at his leg showed that it was three times its original size. They were lucky the bite hadn’t been closer to his hearts.

Eren hitched Jean’s arm higher around his shoulders and strode forward. “It’s going to be okay,” he said, though if it was for his benefit or Jean’s, he wasn’t sure.

How they made it, he wasn’t sure. After what felt like hours they stepped out into a clearing, and came face to face with a small cottage. It was tiny in comparison to the houses of his own village. If he stood beside it, the door would only come to his waist. There was a sprawling garden that spilled out from one side, with a strange shimmering bubble wrapped around it. The windows were lit with light, and the smell of cooked meat made his stomach rumble.

Jean seemed otherwise uninterested, and promptly collapsed.

Eren cursed, taking some of the dead weight to ease his friend to the ground. “Jean?” He asked. A hand to his forehead revealed that his skin was hotter than before, and sweat was foaming from his coat. A groan answered his words, but there was nothing more.

The door to the cottage opened behind them, piercing the growing shadows with light. “Who’s there?” A woman said over a series of growls.

Eren spun around to meet glowing eyes. There was a wolf crouched low to the ground, big enough to reach his hips. It flashed sharp fangs when he moved, standing guard between the cottage and himself.

“My name is Eren,” he explained, holding his hands up in an effort to display he meant no harm. He squinted at the doorway, trying to pick out features through the light. “my friend is injured—I was hoping that you could help.”

“Injured?” She shifted, revealing part of a rounded face. Golden hair spilled over her shoulder. “By what?”

“We ran across some spiders during our travels. He was bitten earlier today.” Eren glanced back at Jean, hooves shifting restlessly. “Can you help us?”

The wolf growled as she left the safety of the doorway. “Down, Ymir,” she ordered, before closing the distance between them.

She was so small, Eren realized in dismay. Smaller than Levi, even. She had no strange features, nothing to point towards species. Was this what a true human was?

“My name is Historia,” she explained, before kneeling beside Jean. She felt around his leg, looking nonplussed by the fact that she barely even made it past his legs. The wolf—Ymir—looked far from comfortable with the situation. She paced around the clearing, shooting him vicious glares.

“This needs to be drained immediately,” Historia looked back, over her shoulder. “Ymir, fetch my kit.”

Ymir whined in complaint. She scuffed at the ground before shooting Eren another glare.

“Come now,” she huffed. “you can eat him if he hurts me, but until then go get my stuff. Please?”

Eren watched her turn around. His eyes widened when what had been a wolf became a woman, but she disappeared inside before he could get a closer look. “You can help him?”

Historia looked up at him with a small smile. “I can. It’s lucky that you got here when you did. Any longer and the poison would have done permanent damage.”

“Only idiots go into the spider’s lair,” a new voice muttered. A woman with brown hair held out a box to her. A cloak of fur was wrapped around her shoulders, and a glare solidified it. The wolf that was Ymir, was also a woman.

“We’re new to the outside world,” Eren defended. He folded his legs beneath himself, so that he wasn’t towering over everyone.

Historia pulled a scalpel from the box, before she cut two diagonal lines into the skin above the spider bite. Immediately, blood and fluid alike began to drain. Her hands glowed blue as she rubbed Jean’s leg, encouraging circulation.

“You have magic,” he said in surprise.

“Lucky for your friend, too,” Ymir muttered. She sat down beside Historia, and handed her some ointment without being asked. “Where did you come from, anyways?”

“The Valley of Centaurs.”

“No shit.” Ymir looked them both over, eyebrows raised. “What are doing among us peasants?”

“Ymir,” Historia sighed. “don’t be rude.”

“It’s a serious question,” she defended. “the valley is supposed to be prestigious, right? No humans are allowed.”

Eren’s head tilted to the side. “You’re both not human.”

“What she means to say is, why did you leave?” Historia looked up at him, hands pausing.

“It’s tradition. I didn’t want to leave.” Eren frowned down at the ground. “When a centaur comes of age they must travel a year outside of the valley. It’s to search for a mate, as well as to teach us about the protection of numbers.”

Ymir squinted up at him. “Everyone here is taken.”

“Ymir!”

“What? I don’t want him to get any funny ideas.” Her arms crossed stubbornly. “I still remember the satyr that tried to kidnap you.”

“That was five years ago,” Historia said in exasperation. She tied off the bandages she had wrapped around Jean’s leg. “Let it go.”

“I already have a mate,” Eren interrupted. “it’s not official, but when I return I’ll begin to court him.”

“A mate, huh? Why isn’t he with you then?”

He sighed. “He’s not a centaur. Only centaurs are allowed on this trip.”

“What is he, if you don’t mind me asking?” Historia coaxed a vial of liquid down Jean’s throat. He coughed a few times, before settling down. The color was beginning to return to his face, and his lips were already fading back to a healthy pink.  

“He’s a harpy.” Eren smiled, gaze growing fond. “His name is Levi. He’s about your size.”

“A harpy and a centaur.” Ymir snorted. “Go figure.”

It was his turn to glare. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

She held up her hands. “I’m just saying. How exactly does the, uh, mating portion of that even work?”

Eren went red from the tip of his ears, all the way down to his chest.

“You know what?” Ymir amended. “I don’t even want to know. Spare me the details.”

“I hadn’t really thought about it,” he frowned.

“I just said to spare me the details!”

Historia’s eyes rolled. “What does courting entail? We have a centaur friend but he never grew up around others, so he’s a bit clueless.”

“Really?” Eren perked up in interest. “Is he around?”

“He usually stops by every week or so. He should come back before you leave.”

He nodded, filing that away for later. “Courting is different, depending on the pair. With centaurs, usually it’s a display of power. You prove that you’re a worthy protector and if your display is accepted, you go from there. With Levi, it’ll be different.”

“Obviously,” Ymir muttered.

Eren ignored her. “Harpies like safety. They depend on a nest to be secure, and a mate should increase that. They also like gifts, especially shiny things. I’m going to bring him back some to start ours. I’ve just been having trouble finding anything good enough.”

“There are a few places you could look around here,” Historia hummed. “We could show you later.”

“Really?” He grinned. “That would be great.”

She answered his smile with her own, before she began packing her supplies. She stood with a slow stretch when she was finished, looking drained. “Your friend should be alright with some rest and a bit more healing. I’ll fetch some food, since I’m sure you’re hungry. Then you can both sleep.”

“Thank you,” Eren said, to both of them. “really.”

“Just don’t carry anyone off and we’ll be good,” Ymir muttered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Looks like Eren has made some friends too... any guesses as to who the centaur is? ;)


	6. Making Amends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A lot of you had some very good guesses as to who the other centaur is. I'm afraid you won't find out for a few more chapters though

Nesting was instinctive, Kuchel had told them. It wasn’t something that could be taught, as it was an individualistic sort of art.

Levi’s art was apparently extremely choosy.

Sticks were examined and discarded. Vines were tested for give and strength. Grass was sniffed only to be deemed unsuitable.

It was a good thing that nesting wasn’t a team effort, because Levi was frustrated enough with himself as it was.

“No good?” Armin asked, when Levi tossed aside a broken branch with a hiss.

“No good,” Levi confirmed. He scowled down at his pile of sticks, before picking one up with a foot. Weaving was hard when you didn’t have hands, but harpies made do. He’d decided to make the basic frame for his nest first, instead of a tight weave. He’d add more sticks and vines when that was done, with various forms of padding in between.

Armin’s hands lit up, and he held a fresh vine out wordlessly. Levi took it with a muttered thanks.

“You don’t have to do this, you know. This has to be boring for you.”

Armin shrugged. “I told you that I don’t really have friends. Besides, I’ve never seen anything like this before. It’s interesting.”

“A harpy building a nest, or a harpy building a nest big enough for a centaur?”

“Both,” Armin chuckled. “Whoever this is for, they’re lucky. I can already tell that it’s going to be of the highest quality when it’s finished.”

Levi had to preen a few feathers back into place when they puffed up with pride. “Of course,” he huffed. “There’s no point in doing it in halves. It has to be perfect.” He slid another stick in when his current was growing too short.

“What’s he like, your mate?”

“We’re not mates yet,” Levi reminded. Still, he couldn’t help but like the sound of the words. “His name is Eren. He’s ridiculously huge and has one of the prettiest coats I’ve ever seen.”

Armin hummed, and produced another vine. “What color is it?”

“Rich shades of brown.” Levi tied off the vine and gave a slow stretch. “I’ve known him since I was a hatchling.”

“That sounds wonderful.” He tucked a long strand of hair behind a pointed ear, blue eyes bright. “When will he return?”

Levi frowned down at his dwindling stick pile, calculating how much further he could get. “Nine cycles from now.” He said absently, before standing. “I’ll be back. I need to collect more sticks.”

Armin didn’t ask if he wanted help. They both knew the answer by now. He would accept Armin’s vines, but everything else would be left up to Levi. His instincts wouldn’t allow him to do anything less.

Approval of the nest was extremely important, Kuchel had told him. If Eren didn’t like it, all of his effort would be made useless. Levi tried not to feel nervous over that fact.

He made his way through the forest on foot. Every now and then he would pause to examine a broken branch. Most were tossed aside after an in-depth examination, while others were added to the slowly growing pile in his arms. He made several trips back to the cave, where he left his finds in Armin’s care, before heading back out to look for more.

  Bark and leaf fibers came next, to help hold the structure of his nest together. Levi wasn’t sure how he knew what textures would work and what wouldn’t, and he didn’t bother questioning it either. His yearly molt was coming up, and his nest needed to be done by then. His very instincts demanded it.

His feathers would help soften the nest, as well as claim it as his own. It would need to be done so that Levi could rest inside the cave during the three or four cycles it would take for the shed to be complete.

When he returned from his final trip, Levi found that Armin had made a pile of vines next to the other materials Levi had collected. He gave a sound of thanks before he flopped back down onto the floor to resume his careful manipulation of what would be the base of the entire structure.

“How did you end up here?” Levi asked, when it occurred to him that he didn’t know much about his new companion.

“I was planted by a traveler. I don’t remember much about them, but I know that they saved my life.” Armin held a stick out. “The forest I was born into was dying. So I was moved here when I was just a seed.”

Levi frowned down at his feet as he tied off a vine with his talons. “Did you grow up alone?”

“No, nothing of the sort,” he assured. “There were—and still are—others. No one really lives close by though, which is why I’m glad that you’re moving in. It’ll be nice to have someone near my tree again.”

“Eren likes trees,” Levi mused. “perhaps he’ll take a liking to your shade.”

Armin looked as if he’d just been delivered the highest compliment imaginable. “Really?”

“Really.” He grimaced when his back let out a crack. His toes were aching, and Levi could admit that he was tired. Still, he didn’t want to head back to his mother’s nest. Nor did he want to sleep on cold stone.

Levi looked over at Armin. “Do you mind if I sleep near you?”

Blue eyes widened. “Of course not!” Armin scrambled upright, careful of the supplies scattered across the floor. “I haven’t had anything other than animals sleep among my roots in a very long time.”

“Hopefully you won’t be thrown off by a few feathers then,” he said dryly.

A sincere smile graced Armin’s face. “They’re more than welcome.”

He was led back into the forest, Armin in the lead. With the sun’s steady departure, shadows were beginning to bloom around them. The steady heart beats of animals settling down for sleep filled Levi’s ears, as well as the awakening call of predators. Still, there was nothing in this forest that Levi couldn’t handle. That wasn’t arrogance either, it was simply pure fact.

He was pleased to note that while Armin’s tree was within a reasonable amount of walking distance, it was not close enough for either of them to hear what the other was doing. Levi could only imagine what sorts of embarrassing things might occur if Eren accepted his nest, and he sure as hell didn’t want Armin of all people listening in on them.

“This is me,” Armin announced. He stepped aside to allow Levi a chance to look over his tree. He made no comment on his heated cheeks, and for that Levi was grateful.

“Impressive,” he murmured.

Armin’s tree was huge; a great mass that consisted of a thick trunk and branches that seemed to stretch on for forever. Just looking at the base told Levi that he wouldn’t be able to wrap his wings around it. The branches were laden with large red fruits, and Levi couldn’t help but snort at the sight.

“You’re an apple tree.”

Armin bit his lip. “Yes?”

Levi shook his head slowly. “It’s a wonder you don’t have all the centaurs begging you for food.”

“You think they’d want some?” He stared up at his branches, a look of surprise on his face. “I’d never considered it before.”

“I’m sure they’d love some.” Levi moved closer. The air was ripe with the sweet scent of apples, and he found himself missing Eren now more than ever. Apples and raspberries were Eren’s favorite fruits, and somehow Levi had managed to find a home that had both nearby. He had no idea how he’d gotten so lucky.

Levi laid down between a series of thick roots, feathers fluffing to help make himself more comfortable. “Thanks for your help,” he said. “I don’t really have that many friends.”

Some of the surprise left Armin’s face, to be replaced with a tired understanding. “Thanks for letting me help. We’re starting again tomorrow, right?”

He nodded. “I’ll hunt at sunrise and then we can head back to the cave.”

Armin gave a hum. “Goodnight for now, then. Sweet dreams.”

“Goodnight,” Levi muttered, before Armin disappeared into the trunk of his tree. His eyes closed, and if he dreamt of a certain green-eyed centaur, no one but Levi ever had to know.

* * *

His eyes opened to the beginning signs of dawn. Hesitant rays pierced through shadow as the sun began the task of ridding the forest of darkness. The soft sound of crickets tickled Levi’s ears, as well as the occasional rustle of leaves. None of this was what had pulled him from his slumber.    

A low cloud of fog had rolled in while Levi was sleeping. His feathers felt damp with it, but not uncomfortably so. It was more of a cooling touch than anything else. He straightened, eyes narrowing in on his surroundings. When the snap of a twig caught the attention of his ears, Levi stood to head in its direction. There was no real explanation for why he did so, it was simply instincts. Something told him that he should investigate, so he did.

He was glad that he had when he found Isabel creeping through the trees. It was clear that she’d snuck out while the others were sleeping, and it was obvious just where she was headed. There was only one place to go at the end of this forest, and that was outside the valley.

Levi debated letting her go without a word, but dismissed the idea immediately. Someone had to make sure that she was safe if she was going to be sneaking around. “Isabel,” he said, before emerging from the trees.

She whirled around with a startled squawk. Her eyes narrowed when they met his own. They’d apologized to one another at Kuchel’s urging, but they hadn’t exactly had much of a discussion past that. He’d been busy and she’d been avoiding him. “Levi,” Isabel answered, before setting in on preening her feathers flat once more. “Don’t bother trying to drag me back.”

He frowned. “Why would I drag you back?”

She paused to shoot him a look of disbelief. “Why else would you be here?”

It occurred to Levi that she didn’t know where he’d been spending his time, or what he was doing. He hadn’t exactly been forthcoming. “My nest is nearby,” he said carefully. “I slept here so that I could keep building.”

“Your nest?” Isabel echoed.

“It’s a work in progress,” Levi admitted. “but yes.”

Something flickered across her face. Curiosity, perhaps? “Can I see it?”

He considered saying no. It felt wrong to let so many eyes see what was meant for he and Eren only. Still, he remembered the start of their previous fight. Isabel had eyes for a dragon, which meant she probably had her own doubts about nesting. “Yeah,” Levi sighed. “I’ll show you.”

He turned around, to head back the way that they’d came. For a brief moment, he thought that she wasn’t going to follow. Then she fell into step and any thoughts of Isabel taking flight vanished. “You look tired,” she observed.

Levi shrugged. “Building a nest big enough for a centaur takes a long time. I want to get it done before I start molting.”

She stared down at the ground, mouth pressed into an uncharacteristically thin line. Now that he was looking, she also looked tired. Her feathers weren’t as polished as they normally were, and there were dark circles under her eyes. “What’s it like? Finding a mate?”

He didn’t bother reminding her that Eren wasn’t his mate yet. He could tell that that wasn’t the point. “It’s scary,” Levi said, because he would not lie to her. Not about this.

Isabel’s eyes flew to his face in shock at the admission, but for once, she did not interrupt.

“It’s scary,” he continued. “because the world seems twice as dangerous once you have someone that you want to keep by your side. You have just as much to lose as you do to gain. You’ve seen how Ma gets when she talks about mates. Imagining Eren dead… it’s terrifying.”

“He’s going to come back.” Isabel reached out to brush their wings together. “He’s not going to die out there.”

Levi didn’t bother pointing out that no matter how many people told him that, the fear would remain until Eren was safe and in his arms once more. “This dragon of yours has been around a while, right?”

Isabel tripped over a root in her surprise. “Yes,” she answered, clearly flustered. “Why?”

“How does he feel about you going outside the valley?”

“He doesn’t like it,” Isabel admitted. “he says that it’s dangerous, especially for smaller birds like me. We’re easy targets for humans.”

“And you?” Levi glanced over at her. “How do you feel when you imagine him roaming human-infested lands? At risk to being shot down and killed at any time?”

She looked distinctly ill as she ducked under a branch. “Of course I don’t like it, but there’s not much else choice!”

“Unless Grisha accepts him.”

“You think he would?”

Levi gave a shrug. “Well there’s only one way to know for sure, isn’t there? Unless you don’t want him for a mate.”

Silence fell between them, though it was not uncomfortable. Isabel looked deep in thought as they walked, and Levi took comfort in the way their sides brushed. He’d missed her, despite their fight. The distraction of building his nest had helped to ease some of his loneliness, but now he felt it full force.

They traveled past Armin’s tree, and to the waterfall that had led Levi to his cave. Isabel followed him up the slope of the stone path of the mountain, eyes taking in everything around them. The sun was high enough in the sky for the light to pierce the shadows of the cave—not that they couldn’t see without it.

Levi was left all too conscious of the mess that he had made. There were sticks left in uneven piles around the bare bones of his nest, as well as tangles of vines and plant fibers. The actual structure of it was about half way done. He was still building up the walls, but the base of it was laid out for the most part. He’d have to build up many layers to make sure nothing would break, and then add even more to ensure comfort. Still, he’d made a lot of progress in the many days that he’d been working away at it.

“Wow,” Isabel breathed. She walked around the outside of his nest, careful not to step on any stray materials. “This is huge.”

“Eren is huge,” Levi agreed. “the nest had to match.”

He felt his embarrassment give way to pride as he watched her admire his work. He leaned back against the cave wall to try to conceal the way his feathers were puffing up. It wouldn’t do to get too pleased just yet. It wasn’t even half way finished.

“You did all this in just a cycle?” Isabel shook her head slowly. “You must be exhausted.”

He grimaced. “I have to work fast. My feathers are only going to stick around for so long before they start shedding.”

“Still…” She stepped away from the structure to examine the cave itself. “Eren is going to love it.”

“Yeah?”

Isabel smiled. “Yeah.”

Levi offered his own, hesitant smile. A shift of her weight drew his gaze to her shoulder, which was still growing the feathers he’d torn out back. “Sorry for attacking you,” he said. Kuchel had urged him to do it before, but this time he was sincere.

She sighed. “I’m sorry too. I shouldn’t have said that about you and Eren. I was just stressed.”

“About courting a dragon?”

Isabel flushed under the knowing look he sent her. “ _Skies_ , do you have to say it like that?” She hid her face behind her wings. “It’s embarrassing.”

He shrugged. “That’s not a no.”

“Yes, alright?” Isabel shot him a glare over her feathers. “I’m nervous. I don’t even know if Farlan will still be around since I’ve been gone for so long.”

Levi glanced up at the sun. “You should probably get going then. Wouldn’t want to keep him waiting any longer.”

Her wings fell back to her sides as she stared at him in shock. “You mean you’re going to let me go?”

“How can I let you go if I never saw you?” He mused, a playful smirk on his mouth.

Isabel lunged forward to envelop him in a fierce hug. “Thank you,” she whispered into his neck. “I owe you one.”

He squeezed her gently around the waist. “Just come back safe and we’ll call it even.”

“You got it,” she laughed, before pulling away to swipe at her eyes. “I’ll stop by when I come back, okay?”

“You better,” Levi huffed. “I expect to meet this Farlan at some point, too.”

“No way! You’ll scare him off!”

“Only a little.”

“Levi!” Isabel hit him lightly with one of her wings. She backed away from the cave with a smile still on her lips, before she took a running leap off the side of the mountain and took to the sky.

Levi watched her fade into the distance before he turned back to the forest to hunt. Breakfast would need to be had before he could continue building.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Birb fam for the win. Who thinks Isabel is going to return with Farlan?


	7. The First Gift

It took several days for Jean to stay awake longer than was necessary for him to eat. There was an additional building beside Historia and Ymir’s cottage that Eren helped him move to when he was able to stand. It was a simple barn, with a bed of cushions big enough for a centaur. They were told it was originally built for their centaur friend, which was why it was big enough for both Eren and Jean to stand in. Said friend was supposed to emerge at some point, but Eren had yet to meet them.

Since they were stuck until Jean could move properly, Historia brought Eren down to a series of caves near the river. Ymir followed, since she was still suspicious of ulterior motives—not that Eren could blame her.

They weren’t all that far from the cottage, though Eren was surprised by the sheer mass of them. The mouth of the biggest was taller than him, with jagged rocks peeking through the ground of the entrance.

“There’s a tunnel system running through the mountain,” Historia told him, before handing over a bag of glowing stones. “Use these to mark your way back. Worst comes to worst we’ll come looking for you if you’re not back by nightfall.”

Eren tied the bag around his waist, near his sword. “Alright,” he agreed. “is there anything I should be careful of?”

“Snakes,” Ymir said, looking bored. “maybe a few big cats. Might be some other nasties in there too, but no spiders.”

Small mercies.

“There are gems in there, you just have to look. I’ve found a few crystals for my rituals inside.” Historia handed him what remained in her arms. A water skin, and a small pickaxe. “Be patient and look carefully. You’ll find something for Levi so long as you don’t give up.”

He nodded, head lifting to eye the cave with new determination. “Thank you for this. I appreciate it.”

Ymir tossed an arm over Historia’s shoulders. She stared up at him, undaunted by his size. “Just don’t get lost. I’m the one that’ll have to sniff you out.”

Historia smiled. “Good luck.”

* * *

Eren spent hours beneath the earth. He’d worried over his size being an inhibitor in the tunnels, but most of them were fairly large. Some had been excavated, and were made wider through manual labor. Others were natural, rock eroded by the water that had once ran through the system.

Historia had painted markers into the walls with magic. A faint outline of her hand was set into the stone with what looked like paint, the color a pale green against the dark stone walls. Eren followed the marks as far as they went, and arrived at a large cavern. The ceiling was huge—far taller than Eren, even standing on his back legs. Long stalactites grew from the ceiling, enough for Eren to be wary of the possibility of falling rock. The soft drip of water filled his ears. Save for the occasional distant whistle of wind, it was the only sound amongst the darkness.

Thankfully, the rocks Historia had given him glowed as bright as a lantern when touched. He reminded himself to thank her again, when he returned to the surface, for her thoughtfulness. The sound of his hooves against the stone floor seemed too loud, but there was little that Eren could do about it. He just hoped it didn’t attract any of the ‘nasties’ Ymir had mentioned.

He made his way around the sides of the cavern, ducking past tall pillars of rock and side stepping pools of water. The light from the stone in his hand was used to examine the walls, looking for the veins that Historia had described to him on the walk down to the caves. What he was looking for was named fluorite, or so he’d been told. Eren knew very little about rocks, or mining. His knowledge resided in the brief description Historia had given him and nothing more.

A pattern of uneven surfaces, a difference in color on the walls, a reaction to the light… all could point him towards the right gift for Levi. If only he could find it first.

Rocks were left in his wake, meant to guide him back the way that he’d came. There were plenty of them, thankfully, which meant Eren could roam most of the cavern before running out. His eyes almost ached with how intently he was examining the walls, unwilling to miss a thing. He was determined. He would not return to the surface empty handed. Who knew when he would get another chance to look? Jean was gaining his strength back, and would surely want to leave soon. Eren had little time to linger.

He grew excited when something in the wall reflected light back at him, but several minutes of hard strikes of Historia’s pickaxe left him deflated. It was nothing more than a few flakes of shiny rock, not nearly enough for what he needed.

Eren shoved his bangs back off of his sweaty forward and moved on with a sigh.

There were several more false alarms, though he did his best to remain optimistic. He couldn’t get discouraged. He refused. Instead, he searched the walls with twice as much determination.

When color glinted beneath the metal of the pickaxe, Eren almost thought that he was dreaming. He chipped away at stone with hard strokes, sending waves of dust into the air. His skin was coated in it and streaked with sweat. He would definitely need to wash in the river, but it was all a distant thought underneath the sight of dim crystals.

Eren gave a grunt as he put his full strength into his next swing. Eventually, he got a large chunk of stone free. It fell to the ground with a loud crash, and he knelt hurriedly. A quick once over told him that nothing was damaged, and a closer look showed several uneven shapes beneath the initial layer of gray. They were wider than his fingers, and a few lines of color could be seen amongst the plain rock.

Eren laughed breathlessly.

He’d done it, hadn’t he? He’d need to figure out a way to get the crystals free from the stone without shattering them, but he’d completed the first step. It was well worth the ache in his muscles, and the dust in his lungs.

Eren gave himself a moment to breathe. A mix of hunger and exhaustion hit him all at once, and he wondered just how long he’d been below ground.

His things were collected, the rock cradled safely in his arms. The glowing stones led him back to Historia’s path, and he followed her prints from there. It was dark when he emerged from the cave, and Eren blinked up at the moon dumbly.

“Finally. I was beginning to think I’d have to go in there.”

Eren’s gaze swung over to Ymir, who sat perched on one of the large boulders scattered around the cave entrance. “Were you waiting for me?”

She shrugged. “Historia asked me to come get you when you didn’t show up for dinner. I told her she worries too much but she threatened to make me sleep outside if I didn’t.” Her nose wrinkled as she took him in. “You look disgusting.”

“Thanks,” Eren said dryly. “I have to bathe.”

“Better hop to it then.” Ymir waved her hands as she hopped down from her perch. “Before Historia comes down here herself.”

He made his way down to the water carefully, the sound of her quiet footsteps in his ears. He set Historia’s supplies down, as well as the rock he’d worked so hard to get. Once he was sure of their safety, he waded into cold water to begin scrubbing at his skin.

“So you found what you were looking for, huh?”

Eren surfaced to find her examining the misshapen piece of stone. He fought down a surge of protectiveness, sure that she wouldn’t do anything harmful. “I did,” he nodded. “Historia’s instructions were helpful.”

Ymir sniffed. “Of course they were.”

He emerged from the water to give himself a hard shake. It got rid of most of the water on his coat, but he was still left feeling a bit damp. Eren ignored it in favor of picking up the rock. He washed the dust off of it gently, revealing several more glints of color. He smiled.

“Alright, we can go now.”

She raised an eyebrow as she picked up the bag of stones, as well as the pickaxe. “You look pleased.”

“I found a gift for my mate,” he said simply. It was answer enough, in his mind.

Ymir seemed to think so too, for she merely let out a hum before she began the walk back.

The lights were on in the cottage when they exited the forest. Eren wasn’t all that surprised after being told of Historia’s worries. She met him at the door shortly after Ymir disappeared inside to put away her things, smile bright.

“Ymir said that you found something,” Historia’s head craned back to meet his eyes. Eren knelt to make it easier for her, and returned her smile with his own.

“I did.” He held out the rock he carried. “I don’t know how to get the crystals out without damaging them though. I was hoping you would teach me.”

“Of course!” She ran fingers over the uneven surface, eyes intent. “It looks like you got some pretty decent sized ones. Are you planning on doing anything with them or do you just want the crystals as-is?”

“I’m not sure,” Eren admitted. He frowned down at the rock, tail swishing. “I don’t really know how to make jewelry, and I don’t even know if Levi would wear it if I tried. I think he’d like trinkets that can be left in his nest, more.”

Historia nodded. “Keeping them intact will be difficult, but I have the right tools for it. It just takes patience. We can start tomorrow. I’ll put this inside to soak to loosen the rock up some. Magic comes in handy with things like that.”

It was foolish for him to hesitate, but Eren couldn’t help the surge of worry he felt at having the rock out of his sight. When she began to look concerned, he forced himself to nod. “That’s fine. Sorry, I’m just…” Eren shifted awkwardly. “I’m not used to these instincts. It’s a bit overwhelming.”

Historia placed a comforting hand on his arm. “I understand. I promise that nothing bad will happen to them though, okay? We can start as soon as you wake up.”

He let out a soft sigh. “Thank you. I really appreciate your help. You’ve been more than kind.” Eren gave a sad smile. “I’m sure Levi would like you.”

“I hope I’ll get to meet him some day,” she said lightly, before taking the rock into her arms. She showed no strain, despite how heavy it was. “I’ll have Ymir bring you some dinner while I get this settled, then you should rest. You worked hard today, I’m sure Levi wouldn’t want you to strain yourself.”

“He would kick my ass,” Eren chuckled.

“Better get to the barn then,” Historia grinned. “And for the record? I think I’d like him too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> the first of several courting gifts has been found! I know you guys have been curious about what they'll be
> 
> Tell me what you thought?


	8. Surprise, Surprise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> updates are going to be a lot more spaced out after this, I'm afraid. My best friend is coming over from Europe to spend the summer with me so I'm not sure how much writing time I'll have while he's here

When Isabel did not return within the week, Levi was not surprised to see his mother land beside his cave with Mikasa in tow. As much as he wanted to avoid the discussion that was about to happen, he knew that it was important.

“Stay here,” Levi instructed Armin, who was staring with wide eyes at his family. He caught Mikasa flashing Armin a small smile as he stepped out of the safety of his cave, and wondered if there was a new friendship to be had there.

“Levi,” Kuchel said, talons digging into the ground. “I know you and Isabel have been at odds with one another lately, but I was hoping that you had seen her.”

“We made up several days ago. She was walking through the forest here.”

She looked relieved at the news. “So you know where she is?”

This was where things got dicey. “Yes and no.” Levi frowned down at his feet, struggling to find a way to say what he had to say in a diplomatic manner. “She went to see her dragon.”

Kuchel looked as if he might as well have punched her. “What?”

Mikasa stepped up to her side to brush their feathers together. “Isabel seemed very invested in their relationship. The ban on not leaving the valley made her worried about Farlan thinking he had been rejected.”

“I told her to go,” Levi said quietly. “I didn’t think she’d be gone for days.”

Kuchel shook her head slowly. “You let her go alone? I thought that you of all people would have more sense than that, Levi.” She turned on her heel, long hair billowing in the sharp breeze that swept across the mountain. “She could be dead by now, or worse.”

He bolted forward to stop her before she could truly take off, jaw set stubbornly. Mikasa stood by his side, ready to help if Kuchel tried to spread her wings. “I know you’re worried, but Isabel wants to mate him.” Kuchel’s face lost some of its anger, and went pale instead. “We can’t interfere. It’s something only she can do.”

“If she isn’t back by the end of this cycle, we can all go looking for her,” Mikasa said softly. “She told me where the mountain is.”

For a few long moments, Kuchel simply stared at them, gaze unreadable. Then, she smiled faintly. “You’ve both grown up, huh?” She shook her head. Her arms lifted to brush feathers over their cheeks. “You’re no longer my little hatchlings.”

Levi leaned into her touch. “Is that a bad thing?”

“It’s a worrying thing,” Kuchel corrected, before sighing. “But no, not bad. I shouldn’t have banned Isabel from leaving for so long. This is my fault. If I had been more lenient she would have talked to me.”

Mikasa frowned. She stepped forward to wrap her wings around Kuchel. “It’s not your fault. She would have gone either way.”

“I told her to talk to Grisha about living in the valley,” Levi added. “They’re probably just figuring things out.”

“I hope so,” she murmured.

He didn’t know what to say to that.

Levi was guilty for letting Isabel go, but he had known that it was something that she had to do on her own. He just hoped that she was being her normal reckless self as opposed to being injured. Levi didn’t let himself think of more lethal outcomes.

Still, if something had happened to her, this Farlan would pay. Dragon or not, Levi would _skin_ _him_.

* * *

“I’m sure Isabel is alright,” Armin comforted, several days later when Levi found himself glancing at the mouth of his cave more often than not. What he had gathered from witnessing Kuchel’s visit had been expanded on by Levi. Armin was a good listener, and Levi had an easy time confiding in him.

“Still,” he sighed, as he tossed away a stick that had broken in his distraction. “the outside world is dangerous. Her dragon could have abandoned her.”

“If that’s the case, I’m sure you’ll rescue her. I’ve seen you hunt; I know that you’re a good fighter.”

Levi tried not to let his feathers fluff at the praise. “I will,” he agreed grimly. “I’ll use that dragon’s skin to insulate the walls.”

Armin snorted. “What a bold decorating choice.”

He swiped at Armin with a wing, unable to help a small smile of amusement. “Hush. You’re ruining my concentration.”

“I don’t think you had any to begin with,” Armin remarked. He shot a glance over at the growing pile of broken branches at Levi’s hip. “Are you sure there’s nothing that I can do?”

Levi followed his gaze. He grimaced at the sight, aware that he hadn’t been making all that much progress lately. The most he’d been doing was annoy himself over his distraction. “We’ve been over this,” he reminded.

Armin held his hands up in defeat and went back to creating more vines. They were needed to tie the walls in to the base, and Levi was grateful for his help. It made things much faster.  

“Are you hungry?” Armin asked eventually, when the sun had already begun to set.

Levi looked over at him to find an apple slice sitting on his palm. At the sight, a curl of loneliness found its way around Levi’s heart. “No,” he said. “I’m fine.”

“You haven’t eaten since this morning,” Armin reminded. “Your body needs food, Levi. Especially if you’re going to spend so many hours at work every day. If you don’t want fruit, then at least hunt.”

He sighed. “It’s not that, I just…” Levi gave a faint smile. “Eren used to cut food up for me. He was the only one that was allowed to feed me.”

“Oh.” He looked around, as if in search of a place to hide away his apples. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to overstep.”

“You didn’t.” Levi nodded towards the walls of his nest. “Just place the slices on there and I’ll eat as I work.”

Armin gave a sound of agreement. He relaxed back against the cave wall, fingers breaking off pieces of apple as if they were knives. It was a skill that was made entirely out of the fact that he was a tree sprite. Levi couldn’t deny that the fruit was delicious. He was sure that Eren would love them when he returned.

The slices he munched on in between the weaving of vines and sticks helped to ease the hunger gnawing away at his belly. The stress of Isabel being gone, alongside his need to finish his nest, had led Levi to neglecting himself. His feathers weren’t as polished as they would normally be, and he was looking skinnier than usual.

Eren would have scolded him until his face was blue, forced him to eat, and then carried him off to groom his wings and rest.

Levi smiled.

He had mere moments to enjoy the warmth of the thought before an earth shattering roar overtook the valley. Levi’s wings shot up to cover his ears, but the sound was over before he could protect them properly.

“What was that?” Armin whispered.

Levi scrambled upright, and nearly tripped over a pile of sticks in his haste to get to the mouth of the cave. He arrived just in time to see a large shape descend down, towards the heart of the valley.

“A dragon,” Levi answered. His voice sounded too soft after the roar, ears still ringing. “it was a dragon.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're close to the halfway point of Eren's year of travel--and to the finishing of Levi's nest. I'm excited to get these two dorks back together again 
> 
> Tell me what you thought?


	9. A New Face

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally found some time to write so have this chapter of Eren panicking over his gifts and Jean being a dork

Eren woke long before Jean. He was too wired after having found his first courting gift. He wanted to make sure that it was perfect, and he wouldn’t know for sure until he could remove the crystals from the rock he’d brought back. Luckily, Eren had learned that Historia was an early riser—something he’d heard Ymir curse more than once.

A step out of the barn they’d been staying in exposed Eren’s skin to the chill of the morning air. Goosebumps rose on his upper half, where there was an absence of fur. There was smoke coming from the cottage chimney, visible in the faint light of the growing dawn. After a moment of silence, Eren’s ears picked up the faint rustle of footsteps. The sound brought him along the edge of Historia’s garden. Careful steps were taken as he stepped out into the back.

Fey houses dotted the rows of plant life, though there were no sprites out just yet. They were sleeping, as most creatures were, and would continue to do so until the sun began to warm the soil around them.

Levi had always disliked the sprites. They liked his hair, and often tried to steal away his loose feathers—a great offense to a harpy. Feathers were to be given away, but never taken. Once discarded, anyone could have them. To try to expedite that process only brought about a dangerous ire—one that had led to any sprites Levi came across scattering to the wind.

Eren smiled down at the houses, before his eyes lifted to the small figure of his host. She was tending to a row of sweet smelling herbs. He kicked a rock in his path, intentionally drawing her attention so as to not startle. “Historia,” he greeted. “I was hoping you’d be up.”

Her head lifted. He’d kept his distance, to prevent looming over her, so her neck was saved from having to slant all the way back. “Eren,” Historia smiled. A hand lifted to rub at her cheek. “I was just collecting some herbs for breakfast.” She stood up, with the leaves she’d picked held carefully in her arms. “I take it you want to start in on that rock you brought back?”

Eren gave a sheepish smile. “If it’s not too much trouble.”

“Not at all. Just give me a moment to put these inside and I’ll be back out.” She turned and made for the back door, before disappearing inside.

In her absence, Eren knelt. He made himself comfortable amongst the roots of a neighboring tree, legs drawn in towards his belly. Historia returned shortly, with a bag and a bucket in tow. She set them both down beside him, alongside a towel.

A closer inspection revealed the rock that he’d brought back was in the bucket. “It looks smaller than before,” Eren observed.

“The magic I added to the water helped to clean away some of the stone.” Historia reached into the bucket to set the rock down onto the towel. “It’s been soaking all night, so it’s a bit more malleable now.”

The bag she’d brought out was opened, and Eren stared down at the tools inside. They were all various shapes and sizes of chisels. A hammer accompanied them.

“Since the crystals are already showing, I would start with chipping away the stone around them. You won’t know for sure if there’s more in the center until you break it apart.” She handed him a chisel the size of his pointer finger. “Patience is key. Just go slow.”

“Slow,” Eren repeated. He looked from the tool in his hand, to the rock, and back. A nervous lump formed in the pit of his stomach. “I can do that.”

Historia stood and placed a hand on his shoulder. She squeezed gently. “It’ll be fine. Just call if you need me, okay? I’ll come back out once breakfast is done.”

He gave a nod, and bent to examine the rock. Careful fingers positioned the surface, so that the strains of color were facing him. The chisel was set against the rock beside one of the shapes. Eren took a deep breath before he lifted the hammer and gave his first swing.

It was nerve-wracking. Every swing had Eren worried that he would make a mistake, and leave Levi’s gift ruined. He would have to start over, and who knew how many suitable gifts he would come across in his travels. What if this was the only thing he could find, and he left it useless?

" _You worry too much,”_ Levi would say. _“you’re going to give yourself wrinkles, you overgrown colt.”_

Eren bit his lip around a smile. When his worries could not be distracted from through simple conversation, Levi would flop onto his side or back, and demand that Eren turn his attentions elsewhere—mainly, to him.

The end of his year could not come soon enough, in Eren’s opinion.

He gave a soft sigh, and brushed off a bit of crumbling rock. Somewhere in between his worries and loneliness, Jean joined him. He walked with a faint limp, but his complexion was a healthy shade, and he no longer needed support getting around.

"Is that the gift you found last night?”

Eren didn’t bother to look up. “Yeah. It’s not finished yet, but it’s getting there.”

Jean’s head tilted to the side as he examined the crystal Eren had spent the better part of two hours working to expose. “It’s pretty,” he remarked. “shiny too. I’m sure he’ll like it. Mikasa always had trouble not picking up fancy rocks.”

“That’s what I’m counting on.” Eren glanced over at him. “How are you feeling?”

“Still a little stiff, but I should be able to start traveling again in a few days.” Jean gave his legs a long stretch. His face broke out into a grimace when his sore leg ached in protest. “If I never see a spider again, it’ll be too soon.”

“We’ll have to find a different path back to the valley.” Eren used the wet corner of the towel to clean off some of the dust he’d generated with his chisel. “I was thinking that maybe Historia and Ymir would have some ideas.”

“Anything that keeps us away from those ugly eyed beasts is a good plan to me.” Jean shifted against the tree he was leaning against, and jostled Eren in the process. His chisel went wildly off center, and Eren let out a curse when he nearly hammered his finger.

“Jean!”

He received no response. Eren turned to glower at him, only to find Jean’s face turned away. He followed the line of his friend’s gaze, only to blink in surprise at the centaur standing several feet away. The male was bigger than their own builds, and reminded Eren of the warriors that helped guard the valley from danger. His coat was a series of brown dapples, with several splashes of gray along his legs and belly. Flowers sat loose atop the crown of his head, where hair that was almost as long as his tail fell down past broad shoulders.

The sound of Historia’s voice broke through the silence, before Eren could stand to survey this potential threat. She appeared from the front of the house, and covered the ground between her and the newcomer in several quick strides. “Marco!” She grinned as he bent down to meet her reaching arms with his own. When Historia’s feet touched the ground once more, Marco looked far more at ease. “I was wondering when you would show up again. You were starting to have me worried.”

“I was side tracked by a patch of nightfury,” he explained. A hand reached into the bag slung over his hips and pulled out a small bundle of bright red herbs. “I knew you were running low.”

She took the plants into careful hands, and shot him another smile. “Thank you, I’ll be sure to get these dried right away. In the meantime,” Historia turned, to meet Eren and Jean’s eyes. “I think you and our visitors might be interested in talking.”

Marco looked over at them once more. Freckled cheeks stretched into a tentative smile. “I’d be open to talking.”

“Talk,” Jean said dumbly. He gave a cough when Marco’s eyes swung to his face. “I mean—yes! Come talk. Please?”

Eren snorted. “Smooth,” he muttered under his breath.

Jean shoved an elbow into his side.

“Alright,” Marco said. He padded over, and knelt across from them both. “I’m Marco, as you already know. What are your names?”

“Eren,” Eren said, before Jean could turn any pinker. “this is Jean. He was injured by a spider, which is why we’re here.”

“Oh no.” Marco frowned as he looked Jean over, as if looking for a wound. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine.” Jean shifted nervously. “It was just a little bite. Historia fixed me.”

Eren bit back any of the snide remarks he might have had, and turned back to the stone in front of him. Thankfully, Jean’s distraction hadn’t caused any mishaps with the crystals. Injured or not, they might have actually fought if that had happened.

“I’m glad to hear it. You’re the first centaurs I’ve seen around here in a long time. Do you mind if I ask what you’re doing here?”

“Year of travel,” Jean explained. “We’re from the Valley of Centaurs.”

Something sad flickered across Marco’s face. It was gone before it could truly be read. “I see. You’ll be leaving soon then?”

He hesitated. “We were going to head out again once my leg healed. Do you want us gone?”

“No! That’s not what I meant at all.” Marco leaned forward, eyes wide in surprise. “I just didn’t think you’d want to stick around. I was wondering if we’d have a chance to get to know one another. I haven’t had many chances to talk to another of my kind. Most just want to fight.”

Jean frowned down at the scars he had only just noticed on Marco’s body. It certainly looked like something had tried to take a chunk out of Marco more than once. “if Historia and Ymir don’t mind, we can stay a bit longer. Right, Eren?”

Eren gave a faint hum. “So you can make a bigger fool of yourself? Sure, why not? It’ll be an amusing story to tell Levi later.”

He flushed darkly. Jean gave a kick to Eren’s rump. “I don’t want to hear it from you, loverboy. Just focus on your rock.”

“Courting gift,” Eren corrected. “and it’s not mine, it’s Levi’s.”

“Levi?” Marco questioned.

Eren looked over at him. “He’s my chosen mate. I’m courting him.”

He leaned closer to get a better look at the crystals Eren was removing from the rock. “They’re beautiful. Is he back at your valley?”

Jean let out a soft groan. “Here we go,” he muttered.

Eren ignored him. “He wasn’t allowed on the trip. Only centaurs can accompany us, so I had to leave him behind. He’s waiting for me to return.”

“That sounds very sweet.” Marco gave a smile that was tinged in sadness. “I hope he likes them.”

Jean watched him for a few long moments, and considered his next words. “Do you have a mate?”

“Me?” Marco fixed him with a look of surprise. “No, I don’t have anyone. Never met the right person, I guess.”

“Me either,” Jean admitted.

Eren just barely contained another snort.

“Breakfast is ready!” Historia called from the door. “Come and grab your bowls!”

Eren hesitated, torn between continuing and filling his belly. Jean stood with a roll of his eyes. “I’ll go get it, just stay there.” He looked over at Marco. “You coming?”

Marco gave a small smile. He stood and fell into step with Jean. “Of course.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what you thought?


	10. The Blood Ritual

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The wonderful TomatoSoupOnMyFace made some harpy!Levi fanart and [you should definitely go check it out](https://www.instagram.com/p/BjnIQDvg-mV/?hl=en) !!
> 
>  

Levi was one of the last to arrive at the center of the valley, despite how hard he had flown. Armin had stayed behind, both to watch over the cave and due to his inability to move very fast.

It was hard to miss the dragon, even amongst the many bodies crowding the meadow that stretched beyond the centaur’s village. Sunlight bounced off of bright gold scales, and emitted a hue that was almost blinding at the right angle.

Levi forced himself to look away from it. It wouldn’t do to get distracted now. There was no reason a dragon would visit the valley for protection. They were warriors in their own right—especially one as big as this. It had to be Isabel’s dragon.

He weaved through the bodies of centaurs and woodland creatures alike, careful not to catch his feathers on anything. Without Eren to perch on, he was too short to see over the large bodies around him. It was a frustrating reality. Levi was tempted to take to the sky and land in the center, but he knew that guards were up. He didn’t want to be accidentally attacked.

Between the legs of centaurs, the glimpse of scales grew as he made his way to the center of the gathering. His very nature drew him to the sight, and suddenly Levi understood what might have led Isabel into leaving the safety of the valley. Beautiful things would always be their downfall.  

He had barely taken a step out of the safety of the crowd when a black blur crashed into his side. It took a moment for Levi to realize that the feathers in his face were startlingly familiar. “Mikasa?”

“I’m so glad you’re here,” she breathed. Mikasa pulled back some to meet his eyes. Her own were swimming in concern. “Isabel came with her dragon. They’re talking to Grisha now about nesting here.”

“Where is she?” Levi’s eyes scanned the small group of figures clustered around the dragon’s head. “Is she alright?”

“She’s fine. Ma is with Grisha. Between you and me, she’s pretty angry.” Mikasa let go of him with a grimace. “She’s putting on face so that Farlan isn’t kicked out, but Isabel is going to get it later.”

“Can’t say that I blame her.” Levi fell into step with his sister as they crossed the distance between them and Farlan. “I told Isabel to leave for a day or two and come back. She’d better have a damn good excuse.”

His ears perked up at the sound of his mother’s voice. Her figure followed shortly after, stance strong beside Grisha and Carla. “I understand what you’re trying to do, but flying in unannounced was not the brightest idea, Isabel.” She glanced over at them when they reached her side. One of her wings reached out to brush over Levi’s in greeting.

“Farlan’s cave was only temporary. We had to go back to his real one and grab some things.” Isabel’s wings gave a nervous flap. She was positioned beside one, massive foot. Long, silver claws pierced the ground—some as big as her own body. It was clear that Farlan had tried to make himself seem less imposing by curling up, just as it was clear that it wasn’t working. He was too massive to pass for friendly. Everything from his tangled crown of horns to the sharp teeth peeking out from his lips screamed predator.

Grisha took a step forward. “What reason do you have for coming here? Why has your dwelling been proven dangerous?”

Two brilliant blue eyes shifted to meet his gaze. For a moment, narrow pupils were covered in a slow blink. _“It has not. However, the humans grow brave. There is word of dragon hunters on the wind. My love wishes to remain here, with her family, and I saw no reason to argue.”_

  Levi felt a wave of worry crash through him. Surely if humans were so foolish as to attempt to take down a dragon, there would be others just as set on centaurs.

“Survival and love are your defense?”

Another, brutally slow blink. _“They are.”_

Grisha looked to Isabel. “And you? Can you vouch for his word with a clear conscience?”

Despite her nerves, Isabel’s voice was crystal clear when she spoke. “I can.”

He looked to Carla. They held eyes for a few long moments, before she gave a nod. “There is a ritual that must be undergone, as I’m sure you’ve been told. It is to ensure the safety of all those that already live here. Do you agree to this?”

_“I do.”_ Farlan’s head lifted. There was a chorus of worried whispers from behind them, but he gave no notice. His neck twisted as he reached around towards his shoulder blades. He came back with a small bundle between his teeth. _“For you,”_ he said, as he placed it in Grisha’s hands. _“for good fortune.”_

Levi sucked in a sharp breath at the sight of what laid beneath that cloth. Beside him, he could hear Mikasa and Kuchel doing the same. A ruby, as big as his head, sat in Grisha’s arms. Levi ached to swipe the treasure and hide it away in his nest. He just barely refrained.

“This is generous.” Carla took the jewel from Grisha, so that he could take the golden chalice brought over by one of their people. She gave a small smile. “It shall be placed in the treasury.”

_“Do what you wish with it. It is yours now.”_

The scent of blood pierced the air, as Grisha cut a line into his wrist. Carla lifted her own, to allow him to do the same. “By my blood, and the blood of my own, I offer sanctuary.” He crossed the distance between them, and stopped mere inches from Farlan’s nose. He held out the knife.

For a moment, all Farlan did was stare. Then, ever so slowly, his figure began to shift. The cracking of bones filled the air as what had once been a massive predator, became what appeared to be a man. Short golden hair rested around his ears. His pupils remained narrow when they opened. A clawed hand reached out to take the blade. He lifted his wrist over the chalice and spilled blood that appeared as gold as the scales dotting his skin. “By my blood, I swear to do no harm.”

Levi had never seen the ritual before, as he had been bound by his own mother’s oath. Still, he knew that the look on Grisha’s face was approval.

“By blood, I bind us.” Grisha dipped a finger into the chalice, and drew a symbol first over Farlan’s heart, and then his own. He lifted what remained to Farlan’s lips. “By blood, you are one of ours.”

A ripple went through Farlan as the liquid touched his lips. Sharp teeth bared in a snarl at the rush of magic, before he was left blinking at the sudden absence. Isabel rushed forward to wrap her wings around him. “We’re okay, then?”

“Yes,” Grisha said. He gave a small smile. “Welcome to the Valley of the Centaurs, Farlan.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A small glimpse at Farlan and I already love him
> 
> Tell me what you thought?


	11. Difficult Truths

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I finally got the chance to pound this chapter out. I can't say for sure when the next one will come since I only have three weeks left with my best friend, but I'll do my best not to take too long
> 
> I also commissioned a lovely piece from [blauerozen and you can check it out here](http://my101fragiledreams.tumblr.com/post/175897479564/i-commissioned-blauerozen-to-do-a-piece-for-my)

It was difficult having three centaurs all in one place. Not because of aggression, or even size, but because Eren was growing extremely tired of Jean’s obvious infatuation. Eren spent most of his time in Historia’s garden, chipping away at his rock and tuning out the world. However, during meals and rest, it was impossible to avoid Jean and Marco.

That wasn’t to say that Eren had a problem with Marco—he didn’t at all. Marco was kind, and gentle. He had a soft voice, and a calming presence. Jean, on the other hand, was practically insufferable.

They learned early that the barn they had been sleeping in was originally built for Marco. This left Eren squeezed in beside an awkward Jean and an apologetic new friend. If there was ever a moment that Eren was a third wheel, it was at night.

“I think it’s cute,” Historia said, when he mentioned Jean’s bumbling idiocy. She smiled in the direction of the path Jean and Marco had disappeared down a few hours prior. “Marco deserves someone who will treat him gently. He’s had a hard time.”

“He’s only going to be whisked away,” Ymir muttered. Her arms flexed as she ground the herbs Historia had given her into a thin paste. “If Jean ever asks, anyways. We’ll probably never see him again.”

Eren frowned down at his stone. It was halfway done, but that had little to do with the unease that settled in his stomach.

“He’ll visit, won’t he?”

“Will they let him?” Ymir shot back.

Eren grimaced as both of their eyes swung to his face. “Not many leave the valley,” he hedged. “it’s frowned upon, since it can be dangerous. I’m sure something can be worked out, though. It’s not as if he would be a prisoner.”

“How comforting.”

Historia sighed as she gave Ymir’s side a light shove. “Let’s just wait and see what happens before we start worrying. Marco deserves happiness either way. You know that better than anyone.”

His tail flicked against his side, and chased away several pesky flies. “What do you mean?”

Ymir’s face was set in stone when Eren looked up. Historia set a hand against her arm. “It’s complicated,” Historia said.

“Screw complicated,” Ymir muttered. She dropped the bowl in her hands to yank down the collar of her shirt. A thick red scar ringed her neck. “Supernatural traders are a thing of this world. I was captured as a pup and kept like a dog. Marco was about the same.”

Eren’s face paled. “That’s terrible. How did you get away?”

She shrugged. “Historia’s father was a shitty person. He visited the markets, and brought her along every now and then. She convinced him into buying both me and Marco, and then we all ran away together.”

“I had no idea,” he murmured.

“We don’t really advertise it.” Historia gave a sad smile. “I guess it’s why we’re a bit bitter towards the valley. We tried to find sanctuary there, when we first ran away, but I was rejected. Ymir and Marco refused to leave me behind, so we all left and made a home here.”

“No humans are allowed in the valley,” Eren realized. He reached out to touch a hand to her arm. “That wasn’t fair to you. I’m sorry.”

“Why would you be sorry?” Ymir snorted. “It’s not like you were the asshole that turned away a bunch of kids.”

“No,” he said. “but my father did.”

For a few long moments, there was nothing but silence. Finally, Historia’s mouth opened, as if to say something. Eren was bracing himself for what might come when Jean and Marco trotted out of the trees with several rabbits thrown over their shoulders.

“We caught dinner,” Jean declared. He paused when he took in all their faces, and gave a sound of confusion. “What’s wrong?”

“Just taking stock of the garden,” Ymir lied smoothly. She stood to sniff at the rabbits Marco handed her. “Nice catch. I’ll go skin them.”

Marco reached down to settle a hand on Historia’s head. “What happened to the garden?”

She offered a small smile. “Just some complications with the soil. I’ll have it fixed in no time, it just took me by surprise.” Historia stood, and brushed off her pants. “I’ll go help Ymir. Why don’t you rest?”

They watched her hurry back into the house, before Jean’s head swung back to Eren. “What was that about?”

Eren gave a weak shrug, and turned back to his rock. Despite the fact that he was not responsible for his father’s actions, Eren couldn’t help the guilt that settled deep in his gut.

* * *

Morning brought about a surprisingly empty barn. Eren blinked tiredly at his surroundings when he found himself lacking Marco’s warmth on one side. Jean stirred when he stood, and let out a tired grumble. Eren ignored him to poke his head out of the barn. There was no sound of Historia working away in the garden, or of Ymir’s paws against the dirt. A trot around the cottage told him that they were gone, and he couldn’t help but feel as if it was his fault.

“What’s going on?” Jean yawned into a hand as Eren stepped back into the barn. He rolled onto his side and gave a long stretch of his legs before he settled back against the pillows.

“Marco, Historia and Ymir are gone.” Eren frowned down at Marco’s usual sleeping place. “I think it’s because of me.”

Jean shot upright. “What do you mean they’re _gone_?”  

His tail swished. “I mean they’re _gone_ , jackass. Why else would I say it?”

“Why is that your fault?” Jean rolled up, into a sitting position, and tucked his legs against his belly. “What did you do?”

Eren pressed his lips together. “My father turned them away from the valley when they were kids. I told them that I’m his son.”

“Humans aren’t allowed in the valley,” he realized. Jean gave a slow shake of his head. “Fuck, no wonder Ymir seemed so bitter when we told her where we’re from. If they were anything like what they are now, she would have never left Historia.”

“That’s not exactly the worst part.”

Jean’s eyes narrowed. “What’s the worst part?”

“They were on the run from supernatural trafficking.” Eren grimaced, and felt his guilt grow with the look of disbelief on Jean’s face. “He welcomed Marco and Ymir, but turned away Historia.”

“That’s just cruel.” His tail twitched restlessly against the pillows. “I can’t believe your father would do that.”

“I can,” Eren said grimly. “He would do anything to keep the valley safe. Keeping humans out is one of our most important rules. He would never break that for no good reason.”

“Trafficking isn’t a good enough reason?”

“As much as I hate to admit it, in his eyes, she must not have seemed to have been in danger.” He gave a heavy sigh. “It’s a harsh reality, but the reasoning is there. I just wish it hadn’t happened.”

“But it’s not your fault,” Jean reasoned. He frowned up at Eren and touched a hand to his leg. “You’re not responsible for his actions. They can’t blame you for that.”

“They can, actually.” Eren gave a loose shrug. He bit his lip, and considered his next words carefully. “I think they might ask me to leave.”

 “That’s ridiculous! It has nothing to do with you!”

“I want you to stay here, if they do,” Eren continued, as if Jean hadn’t said a thing. “You and Marco get along, and I don’t want to ruin your courting. I’ll be fine on my own.”

Jean stood, and caught Eren’s arm before he could step out of the barn. “Are you hearing yourself?! You’re being a complete idiot! I thought you actually wanted to get back to Levi? You go off alone and you could die. No one will be able to help you.”

“What do you suggest then?” Eren shot back. He yanked his arm free from Jean’s hold and gave a stomp of one of his front hooves. “I can’t just stay here if they don’t want me around!”

“How about you find out what they actually think before you blow things out of proportion?” Jean threw his hands up in the air in exasperation. “Chiron, it’s like you’ve lost half of your reasoning without Levi around. Stop being such an idiot and _think_. Stay here until they come back and then ask. It’s better than assuming the worst.”

  Eren cracked a small smile at the mention of Levi. “He would call me ridiculous, wouldn’t he?”

“Yes, he would, and with good reason.” Jean crossed his arms and gave a soft huff. “Do we have a deal, then?”

“Yeah,” he said, after a long pause. He sighed. “We have a deal.”

* * *

The trio came back late into the afternoon. Eren and Jean both perked up from where they had been basking in the sunlight. Historia rode on Marco’s back, while Ymir followed at his heels in wolf form. They were all weighed down by supplies, and Eren felt a wave of relief course through his veins when Historia shot him a smile that was without judgment. Perhaps he really had jumped to conclusions.

“Need any help?” He called.

“We’ve got it.” Marco smiled over at them as he helped Historia swing off of his back. “Sorry for the lack of notice. Historia realized she was running low on a few herbs so we decided to get out early.”

Jean met him half way to pick a few leaves out of Marco’s hair. “Looks like you collected them with your hair,” he said, with some amusement.

Marco gave a soft chuckle. “Whatever works, right?”

Ymir paused by Eren. She met his eyes for a few long moments, before she flopped down onto her side in the shade.

“Rough day?” He asked, over her panting.

She gave a soft huff of air out of her nose.

Historia disappeared into the house with an armful of the herbs that had been strapped to Marco’s back. The sound of pots and pans could be heard inside, as well as the occasional snip of the shears.

 _‘I can smell your anxiety,’_ Ymir murmured.

Eren just barely managed not to startle at the sound of her voice inside of his head. “I was worried.”

_‘Because your father is a stickler for rules?’_

He stared down at the ground for a few long moments. The sunlight filtering in through the leaves wavered as a breeze blew by, before it steadied once more. “I thought maybe you’d want me to leave.”

 _‘We don’t judge people based on their fathers.’_ Ymir’s eyes shifted over to Historia as she came back to take the last of the herbs from Marco. _‘Historia had one of the worst. You hurt her and all bets are off, but right now you’re fine.’_

She rolled onto her belly and gave a slow stretch before she shifted back. “Hey, princess, why don’t you check out Eren’s rock? I’ll take care of the rest of the herbs.”

Historia looked up at Ymir in surprise, before she gave a nod. “Of course.” She smiled over at Eren, and handed Ymir the herbs. “Just make sure to cut the stems and—”

“Hang them upside down,” Ymir finished. “Yeah, yeah, I know.”

Eren stood as Historia neared, and shot her a sheepish smile. “I haven’t done much work on it today. It’s still in the back.”

She chuckled. “That’s fine. Let’s go take a look. I’m sure you’re close by now.”

He walked slowly, so as to not leave her behind with his long strides. Once they had reached the garden, he knelt beside what remained of his rock. “Did you find everything that you were looking for?”

“Yes, actually.” Before he could say anything more, she threw her arms around his shoulders, and squeezed him tightly. “Ymir told me about your worries. I’m sorry if I made it seem as if you would be kicked out. You surprised us yesterday, but we don’t blame you.”

Eren blinked in shock, before slowly, he wrapped his arms around her in turn. What could have been Ymir’s eyes flashed in the cottage window, before they disappeared. He smiled nonetheless. “I would have understood.”

“Well, I wouldn’t have,” she retorted. She pulled back to give a light smack to his head. “You should stand up for yourself more. Your father’s actions are not your own.”

He rubbed lightly at his head. He couldn’t help it when his smile widened. She just reminded him of Levi so much in that moment. “Yeah, I guess you’re right.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone that has been patient with me!
> 
> Tell me what you thought?


	12. Mud

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ayyy I'm back

Levi didn’t see Isabel much after Farlan’s arrival. His mother had given them both an earful before they’d disappeared into the mountains, but he hadn’t seen them since. They were doing what he was, only together. Knowing this, he couldn’t help but be lonelier than ever.

Armin’s presence was a welcome reprieve from the silence that descended when he was alone, but even he couldn’t replace what Eren had filled. With the half way mark growing near, Levi was startlingly aware of just how close their reunion was, as well as just how painfully far it remained. He threw himself even further into his nest to distract himself, whilst Armin watched on worriedly.

The closer he got to finishing, the more restless Levi became. Despite Eren’s absence, he _needed_ his nest to be complete. Every moment that left the process dragged out ate away at him, and no amount of distractions could make it go away. The only option was to finish, and soon. His feelings would subside once it was done. This was something that Levi knew on an instinctual level.

“How are those curtains going?” He asked Armin from his place inside of his nest. He was filling in the remaining gaps in the structure so that he could begin to create a soft center. It had to be strong enough to hold Eren’s weight, after all.

Armin made a thoughtful sound. He held up a long braid of soft vines as if in answer. “It’s a slow process, but it’s going well otherwise.”

With the completion of his nest growing closer, Levi had become aware of just how unprotected his cave was. Curtains would go a long way in both shielding him from the strong winds that sometimes tore through the mountainside, as well as help keep warmth inside. Hanging them up was not something he could do easily without hands, so he’d finally enlisted Armin’s help with the task.

“It looks well done so far,” Levi remarked. “I trust your abilities.”

Armin beamed.

The silence that fell between them was comfortable. They shared the quietness that often put others off, and they had both found solace in that. It was easy to work with Armin, and if Levi was being honest, the truth of the matter was that they were both lonely. A silence shared with another was far different from a silence alone. On the nights that Levi couldn’t bring himself to leave his nest, this fact was driven home again and again.

* * *

“Your nest is looking well,” Kuchel said from her place beside one of the cave walls. With Isabel gone, and Levi’s need to keep others out dwindling, she’d taken to visiting more often.

Levi gave a sound of acknowledgement. His brow furrowed as his talons maneuvered a thick piece of vine into a very tight space.

“Have you thought about what tokens you’re going to decorate it with?”

“Tokens,” he repeated. Levi looked up briefly to shoot her a frown. “No, not yet. I haven’t really focused on anything else.”

Kuchel hummed. “I’m sure Eren will bring you gifts to help. It’s nothing to worry about. Tokens can be very personal, depending on the nest.”

“Like that purple gem you keep in the walls.” The gem he spoke of was about the size of a centaur’s fist, and held a deep purple color that glittered when the light hit it just so. As hatchlings, they’d all been entranced by the way Kuchel had woven it into her nest. However, none of them had been allowed to touch it. Levi was beginning to understand why now.

“It was a gift from your father.” She cast a small smile down at the ground. “I’m not one to get very nostalgic, but I’ve always kept it in my nest.”

It was rare to hear about his father, so he remained silent. He’d learned very early that the topic was one that Kuchel would breach when she felt comfortable, and not a moment sooner. Perhaps one day he’d learn the full story. As it remained, he’d just have to wait and see.

Levi stood up, and surveyed his nest with a critical eye. He felt around for any give in the structure, and came away satisfied. “I think I understand,” he finally said.

Past Kuchel’s perch, Armin peaked his head into the cave to meet Levi’s eyes. “The vines are almost dry enough for me to hang them. You should have curtains soon.”

“Excellent timing.” He stepped out of his nest, and shot them both a small, triumphant smile. “The shell is finally done.”

His words elicited a look of pride from his mother, and one of excitement from Armin. “That’s great! What do you need now?”

“Mud,” Levi said, with a wrinkle of his nose. “Lots and lots of mud.”

Kuchel muffled a laugh into her wing.

He shot her a warning look. “Keep laughing and I’ll make you help me.”

“Oh no, dear.” She smirked up at him. “This one is all on you.”

Levi hated when she was right almost as much as he hated mud.

* * *

“Are you sure I can’t help?” Armin asked dubiously, several days later. He was sat away in a corner with his vines to finish off the rest of the curtains, though he’d been watching Levi more than he’d been working.

Luckily for Levi, it had rained enough to create a large enough sum of mud for his current task. Unluckily for Levi, it had rained enough to create a large sum of mud.

He let out an agitated hiss as he plastered mud to the sides of his nest with both wings and feet. His feathers were clumping together, and his wings seemed to grow heavier with every second that they remained covered in goop. Levi was trying not to think about it.

“No,” he gritted out. “It’s fine. I can do this myself.”

Outside, the rain raged on. It soaked Levi to the bone when he went back outside to fetch more mud, and he returned more uncomfortable than ever. He would have to clean the splatters he left behind, but that was a task for another time.

It took more than one layer to encase the structure of his nest, which meant he had to alternate between the inside and outside in order to wait for the first layers to dry. Dry leaves and vines were added to the mixture, courtesy of Armin. They would provide added insulation, as well as help the layers to bind together.

It was dirty, tedious work, but it would be worth it in the end. It all would be.

Every now and then, Levi would bend down to eat some of the fruit Armin had sliced for him, conscious of the fact that he’d been unable to hunt as much as usual. In a mated pair, one was usually designated to provide food while the other stayed behind to work on the nest. In his case, he had no one but his family and friends to aid him in his large task, which left him looking worse for wear.

“D-done,” Levi finally stuttered out past his shivering. He was drenched in water and mud, but stood triumphant over his nest.

Armin hurried over to him with a worried sound. “You’re going to make yourself sick!” He conjured a large leaf to wrap around Levi’s shoulders before he ushered him over to the furthest corner of the cave. Vines were laid out in an attempt of at a haphazard cushion before he pushed Levi to sit on them.

Levi didn’t complain when Armin began to clean his wings. He was too tired and cold to protest. As warmth began to return to his body, his eyes drooped. Despite his best efforts to stay awake, the repetitive tug and brush of Armin’s hands against his feathers had him slipping away towards sleep, and fast. With his eyes closed, he could almost imagine that it was Eren.

“You’ll be lucky if you don’t have a fever in the morning,” Armin muttered.

Levi made a noncommittal sound as he slumped against the wall. There was a soft sigh before he was guided down onto his side. The vines kept him safe from the chilly cave floor as Armin dried off the rest of him.

More words were said, but Levi was already gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think there's about 10 chapters left until their reunion. I'll probably do some time skips once Levi's nest is complete, but we'll see.
> 
> Comments are, as always, forever appreciated <3


	13. Moving On

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I haven't had much energy to write lately but I managed to get this chapter out a few days ago. It's short but I couldn't figure out another way to transition into the next stage of Eren's journey

The reveal of Eren’s gems left him feeling both accomplished and unsatisfied. Two cylinder shaped pieces as long as Eren’s pointer finger were pulled free from what remained of the rock he’d taken from the cave. Several other rounded stones joined them, though they were much smaller.

Historia helped him give them one final cleaning, which removed the very last of the dirt that had clung stubbornly to their surface. When the process was done, he was left with a handful of crystals that shone different hues of blue.

“They’re in perfect condition,” Historia told him. “There’s really nothing else to do with them. Now you just have to wait to give them to Levi.”

That probably should have made Eren feel better. Instead, it just left him restless.

He spent the day after finishing his crystals doing what he could around the cottage. If Historia needed something he would do it, if only to distract himself.

The second day proved the tasks to not be enough, and by the third he was so pent up that he nearly kicked Jean for simply breathing is his direction. It was at that point that Ymir pulled him aside and said very bluntly, “you need to go.”

Eren stared at her for a few long moments. “I’m sorry?”

She let out a heavy sigh and leaned back against a tree. “Your energy is putting everyone on edge, and it’s only a matter of time until you get too aggressive to stay in one place. I’ve seen it enough times to know that a centaur without his mate is dangerous.”

“I can’t go back, not yet.” He shook his head slowly, and felt his heart twist at the words. “I still have six moon cycles to go.”

“I’m not telling you to go back to the valley, I’m telling you to go find Levi more gifts. That’s what’s bothering you, right?” Ymir pulled a piece of paper out of the pants she wore. She handed it to him to look over. “These are directions to the home of one of Historia’s friends. She should be able to help you.”

Eren looked over the map, and read through the instructions with a furrowed brow. “Sasha,” he read off. “How can she help me?”

“She’s a trader. If anyone can find you a gift suitable for Levi, it’ll be her.” Ymir pushed away from the tree to shoot him a challenging look. “Will you try it?”

Eren hesitated. There was nothing keeping him here other than the attachment he felt to his friends. If he was being truthful, standing still and being around two happy couples was beginning to feel suffocating. He wanted to move. To do something other than garden and collect wood. He wanted to bring back an armful of presents and to make sure Levi knew that he cared for him—that he hadn’t stopped thinking about him once.

“I can come back?”

Ymir shot him an almost insulted look. “Is that really a question?”

The corners of his mouth twitched. “No, I guess not.” Eren glanced down at the map one last time before he straightened. “Alright. I’ll give it a try.”           

* * *

“You’re doing _what_?” Jean demanded from his place across the fire.

“Going to visit one of Historia’s friends,” Eren repeated, as patiently as he could. Which wasn’t all that patient if he was being honest. “Alone.”

“I heard you the first time, I was just hoping you would realize how stupid you sound.” He shot Eren a glare. “I thought we agreed that going off alone was too dangerous to try?”

“You said that, I listened.” Eren shrugged as he threw another piece of wood onto the fire. “I’m leaving in the morning. It should only take me a few days to get there. Historia said that she’d give me magic parchment so that I could let you know if I was safe.”

“That’s right,” Historia agreed. She handed out rolls to each of them before she took a seat beside Ymir. “The trip is perfectly safe so long as you follow the map. Marco has traveled it enough times to agree.”

Marco swallowed the food in his mouth to shoot Jean a comforting smile. “It’s true. Eren will be fine on his own.”

“I’m coming back, anyways. It’s not like you’ll never see me,” Eren pointed out.

“You’d better,” Jean said darkly. “Do you know how many people would kill me if you didn’t return? It’s more than one, that’s for sure.”

“I’m touched to know that your real concern is in saving your own hide.” He threw a piece of bread at Jean’s forehead. A sprite scooped it up from the ground and scurried away before Jean could even react.

“If you run into trouble, we’ll all come quickly to help.” Historia shot them both a comforting smile. “No one is going to die. Sasha will take care of you if trouble arises.”

Eren gave a short nod. “It’s settled then. If all goes well, I’ll be back by the next moon cycle.”

“You’d better hope so,” Jean muttered under his breath. “Otherwise Levi is going to kick your ass.”

Eren smacked him with his tail.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone that's been commenting, it helps when I'm lacking motivation <3


	14. A Reminder

Levi gave a slow stretch and rolled over onto his side. He was surprisingly warm despite the fact that his two most recent sleeping spots had been amongst Armin’s roots and in the shadowed depths of his cave. His nest wasn’t ready to be slept in just yet, so he’d had to make do with what he had. Still, he couldn’t remember falling asleep in either of these places.

There was the soft creaking of branches beside him, and a shift in the material beneath him. The sound was familiar, for Levi had grown up around the gentle echoes of his mother’s nest. Still, he wasn’t in his mother’s nest, was he? He couldn’t feel the touch of the mountain air and there was no sign of the pesky sun beneath his eyelids.

His eyes flew open with a start when a hand carded through his hair. A warning hiss had Levi baring his fangs before he’d even fully comprehended what was going on. The noise died immediately as he took in just who the hand belonged to.

“I knew you were angry with me, but I didn’t think you’d almost bite me after all this time.” Eren flashed him a smile that had Levi floundering for an explanation. “Did you sleep well?”

He ignored the question in favor of sitting up. The warmth turned out to be a soft pelt; it fell from his shoulders to pool around his waist instead. Beneath him laid his nest—complete and devoid of the wet mess of mud that he remembered. Several steps away, the faintest stream of sunlight crept through thick ivy curtains. His head turned back to Eren, who sat beside him. As Levi had hoped, the nest fit them both perfectly. “You’re not supposed to be here.”  

Eren’s head tilted to the side. “No? Where am I supposed to be then?”

“Your trip—it’s not meant to be done for several more moon cycles. This nest isn’t meant to be done either.” Levi looked down at himself with a frown. Hadn’t he been covered in mud? Why was he clean and already molted?

“Does it matter?” Eren reached out to cup Levi’s face between his hands. They were warm, just as he’d remembered them—large, too. Enough to make Levi feel small. “We’re together again, and no force on this world can make me leave your side.”

It was easy to believe him when Eren was looking at him with such fierce conviction, but Levi knew when he was being tricked. His heart broke when the truth finally hit him and he sagged into Eren’s touch with a defeated chirp. “You’re not real,” he realized. “None of this is real.”

Eren’s smile gave way to a heavy sigh. “No,” he admitted reluctantly. “I’m not. Isn’t this enough though, for now? I’m a part of your head, I know how much you’ve missed me. You’ve been working so hard for both our sakes, just let me give this to you.”

Levi didn’t resist when he was drawn closer. He felt like a lost hatchling all over again as Eren’s arms wrapped around him. “I do,” he said as he rested his head against Eren’s chest. “miss you, that is. I want you to come home.”

“I know, love.” It had been so long since someone had touched Levi’s feathers, it made him go boneless almost instantly. “Soon, I promise.”

“How can you promise me something when you’re not really Eren?”

“He said he would return,” came the response. “Now rest, Levi. Your body needs it.”

Levi wanted to argue, but he found his eyes closing without his permission. His body began to grow heavy as he was laid back down into the nest beneath him. “Don’t go,” he whispered.

A hand smoothed the hair back from his forehead, before there was the soft press of lips to the skin there. “You know that leaving you was the last thing that he wanted.”  

Levi wanted to say that he did know, but that that didn’t make it any easier. Instead his body gave in to sleep once more and Eren’s presence began to fade away.

* * *

When Levi next awoke, he knew that he was no longer dreaming. Surely he wouldn’t feel so sick if he were? He let out a quiet groan as he shifted. The noise quickly gave way to a series of wracking coughs that had him shaking. There was a worried sound beside him, before a hand touched his shoulder. It helped to sit him upright while a second held a bowl of water up to his lips.

Distantly, Levi realized that it shouldn’t be so hard to drink. His throat felt too thick to swallow and a flame seemed to burn his insides with every sip. Eventually, he pushed aside the bowl to peer around at his surroundings. His vision was alarmingly blurry, but he could tell that he was still in his cave. “Why do I feel like shit?” He finally rasped.  

Armin’s face swam into view. It was then that Levi realized who the hands had belonged to. “You’ve been unconscious for three days. I was starting to think we’d need to send for a healer.”

“We?”

Mikasa emerged from the shadows to shoot him a glare that was equal parts worried and equal parts enraged. “I came to visit and I found the two of you like this. How could you be so stupid, Levi? You’re going to get yourself killed if you keep on like this.”

“It was a miscalculation. It won’t happen again—”

“You’re underfed,” Mikasa snapped. “Your feathers were waterlogged and some were so damaged we had to pull them out. I know what this nest means to you but you can’t ignore your health like this. Eren wouldn’t want you to do this to yourself.”

“Eren isn’t here, is he?” Levi snarled. His feathers fluffed, and it was then that he became aware of the fact that they were dull and unkempt. The knowledge didn’t make his bitterness any better. “He shouldn’t have left if he wanted any say in my life. He’s _gone_ , Mikasa, and he’s not coming back any time soon.”

Her gaze turned sympathetic as he was taken by another series of painful sounding coughs. She knelt to wrap a wing around his shoulders while Armin offered some more water. “He didn’t want to go,” she reminded gently. “You know it was as much a tradition for him as our nests are to us.”

Levi let himself be laid back down amongst the leaves Armin had created to keep him warm. “I know,” he whispered. “That doesn’t make it any easier.”

“It’s okay to miss him.” She ran her wing down his back in an effort to soothe. “Just don’t harm yourself in the process.”

"You’re not alone,” Armin added. “You can lean on us when you’re struggling.”

He let out a soft sigh at the words. “I’ll try. I’m not very good at it.”

“Trying is enough. For now, you need to rest some more.” Mikasa pushed the leaves around him closer. “I’ll hunt so you can eat later.”

“He said the same thing.” Levi turned onto his side as he wrapped his wings around himself. “It’s like you made a pact.”

His eyes closed before he could notice the look of confusion that was shared between Mikasa and Armin. Sleep claimed him once more—though this time, it did not wear Eren’s face.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I missed writing Levi and Eren together so I hope you guys enjoyed their brief scene as much as I did <3


	15. A Mermaid's Tail

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey look I'm still alive
> 
> If anyone is still reading this fic I'd like to say that updates shall hopefully be more frequent but I can't promise anything. I went through the worst depressive episode of my life and I've only just started getting my life back together. I've also been having some serious pain in my hands that I need to get checked out by a doctor so updates shall come when both my mental and physical health have their shit together
> 
> I'd also like to say thank you to everyone that has continued to leave comments on this fic despite my absence. It really helps a lot when I go through bad periods and I don't know if I would have picked this back up without the support of you guys <3

Venturing out on his own wasn’t that hard to adjust to, much to Eren’s surprise. Sure, it was more nerve wracking with no one around to help watch his back but he found that the solidarity calmed instincts he hadn’t even known he’d been fighting. Rationally, he knew Jean was no threat but sometimes rational thought just didn’t hold up against the stallion that was thrumming just beneath just skin. He couldn’t deny that half of his mind belonged to an animal—and a frequently aggressive one at that. He was growing concerned about solidifying his mating with Levi; if he would even still have him.

Eren shook his head and did his best to banish such thoughts. He couldn’t doubt Levi now. He would win his favor the right way, and no matter what his instincts said he would not hurt him in the process. They would simply have to… compromise. Though he wasn’t quite sure how that would work just yet.

He picked his way carefully through the mountain side, wary of any potential attacks. Ymir had outlined his journey very clearly and had said nothing of threats. After three days of travel with no predator in sight, he was inclined to believe her.

As the days passed on he found the forest dropping away. A grassland took its place, with long plant life that stretched up to the belly of his top half. It was a good place for rabbits and he made sure to stay well fed on his journey. He silently wondered if Levi was still sunbathing in the long grass of the valley and tried to ignore said thought when it brought forth a wave of loneliness.

Jean could become annoying at times but at least he helped to keep Eren’s mind off of what he missed about the valley. Alone he had nothing to distract him from his wandering thoughts. There was simply an endless stretch of land and the occasional hunger of his belly.

On the sixth day, the grass gave way to rocks. He paused when he neared the edge and stared out at an endless stretch of blue. Eren had never seen the ocean before. All he’d ever heard were stories. Beside it he felt small for the first time in his life and silently wondered if Levi would enjoy the view.

The air smelled of salt when it blew past his face and towards the land beyond. With his advanced hearing he could hear the crash of the waves as they clawed at the very same stone that was holding up his resting place. He backed away warily and took to picking his way carefully along the trail Ymir had outlined for him. He didn’t want to know what would happen to him if he were to fall in.

As the day wore on and his path began to slope downward once more, plant life began to emerge from the rocks. He examined it curiously on his way down and found himself stopping in front of a large secluded pool of water. It was a quiet place with trees that slipped their shadows across the edge of the water. Small ripples carried on by the larger waves of the ocean brushed against the shore and mixed with the fresh water that was being carried down by the mountains.

This, Levi would have liked, Eren thought.

He pulled out the stone Historia had given him before after a moment of hesitation he dropped it into the water. A pulse of light went through the pool and traveled out in the direction of the ocean before all was still once more.

With that done Eren found some shade at the base of a large tree and laid down to rest. He wasn’t sure how long he would have to wait, but for Levi he would stay for as long as needed.

* * *

The sun was beginning to slip towards the ground when Eren’s ears picked up the sound of a distant splash. He blinked the drowsiness from his eyes when it came closer and searched the opening of the pool for the source.

A flash of bronze was all the warning he got before a curious face popped out of the water in front of him. The creature’s appearance was that of a woman, with lightly tanned skin and big brown eyes. Her hair was braided back and behind the fins that protruded from where her ears might have been. “Who are you?”

“Eren,” he said after he’d gotten over the strange lilt of her voice. “Historia sent me. She said that you might be able to help me. You are Sasha, right?”

Her face lit up at the mention of Historia and she swam closer to place webbed hands on the shore. “That’s me! Did she give you anything?”

Eren reached into his bag and pulled out a carefully wrapped pastry. “Here,” he said as he held it out.

She made quick work of the wrapping before her jaws split to reveal razor sharp teeth. The pastry was gone in two quick bites, though the satisfied sound she made afterwards did not sound like it belonged to someone who had just swallowed without chewing. “Delicious. The fish are never like this.” She lifted her upper body out of the water to take a closer look at him, revealing the bare curve of her breasts. Eren, who was used to bare skin, did not blink. “What do you need my help with?”

“I’m looking for gifts for my mate,” Eren explained. “I was told you were a trader and that you could help me find something.”

“There’s a lot that you can find in the ocean,” she agreed. “What are you looking for? Jewelry, shells, human silverware?”

“He’s a harpy, so he likes shinny things. Do you think you can go off of that?”

“Shinny things,” Sasha echoed before she gave a grin. “Sure. I’ll get some options and meet you back here in a couple days.” She pushed herself back into the water and began to swim backwards before pausing. “If you see a human around here, don’t hurt him. You’ll know him when you see him. Small, little to no hair and adorable. Until next time!”

Eren stared after her as a long bronze tail pierced the surface of the water before it disappeared along with its owner. “A human,” he echoed with some trepidation.

Brilliant.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Drop a comment and tell me what you thought!

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to ask if you have questions/concerns about this verse! You can also find me on tumblr @ my101fragiledreams
> 
> Anything extra I post about this story can be found [here](http://my101fragiledreams.tumblr.com/tagged/fic%3A-crossed-lines)


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